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HISTORY 



OF THE 



University of Arkansas 



By 
JOHN HUGH REYNOLDS 

Professor of History and Political Science 



DAVID YANCEY THOMAS 

Associate Professor of History and Political Science 

University of Arkansas 




FAYETTEVILLE 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS 

1910 



ID- 



2) 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Early Schools in Arkansas 11 

II. The Seminary Land Grant 21 

III. The Land Grant Act of 1862 33 

IV. Organic Act of the University 43 

V. Location and Organization of the University 57 

VI. Administration of the Endowment 77 

VII. Administrations of Presidents Gates and Bishop . . 93 

VIII. Administration of President Hill Ill 

IX. Administration of President Edgar 129 

X. Administration of President Murfee 139 

XL Administration of President Buchanan 149 

XII. Administration of President Hartzog 159 

XIII. Administration of President Tillman 169 

XIV. College of Arts and Sciences — 

I. Entrance Requirements 185 

II. Courses of Study 196 

III. Departments of Instruction 211 

XV. College of Engineering — 

I. Courses of Study 257 

II. Departments of Instruction 263 

XVI. College of Agriculture — 

I. Organization and Courses of Study 267 

II. Departments of Instruction 277 

III. The Experiment Station 283 

XVII. Professional Schools — 

I. The Medical School 295 

II. The Law School 296 



8 CONTENTS 



CHAPTER PAGE 

XVIII. The Branch Normal — 

I. Foundation 290 

II. Maintenance 303 

III. Teaching Force 305 

IV. Requirements for Admission 307 

V. Courses of Stndy 309 

VI. Attendance 311 

XIX. Library, Museum, and Laboratories 313 

XX. Student Activities — 

1. Literary Societies 325 

2. Intercollegiate Debates 328 

3. Clubs 329 

4. Publications 331 

5. Prizes 333 

6. The Honor System 335 

7. Greek Letter Fraternities 335 

8. Christian Associations 342 

9. Athletics 343 

10. Student Customs 345 

11. The University Song 347 

12. The Dormitories 348 

XXI. Sketches of Trustees and Faculty — 

I. Trustees Ex-Ofificio 351 

II. Trustees by Appointment 369 

III. The Presidents 421 

IV. The Faculty 437 

Appendix — 

Table I. Shows Attendance by Sex . 540 

" II. Shows Number of Freshmen that came through 

Preparatory Department 541 

" III. Shows Number of Seniors that came through 

Preparatory Department 542 

" IV. Shows Number of Undergraduate Degrees Con- 
ferred by Years 543 

" V. Shows Number of Candidates for Degrees by Years 544 

Diagram Showing Growth in Attendance 547 

Index 549 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

University Hall 4 

Arkansas College 10 

Dress Parade 32 

Original Building, University of Arkansas, 1872 76 

University Hall no 

Hill Hall 128 

Buchanan Hall 138 

Infirmary 158 

Gray Hall 168 

Carnall Hall 184 

Agricultural Buildings and Ground 212 

View Looking East from University Hall 230 

Chemistry Building 241 

Engineering Hall 262 

Experiment Station Building 284 

Inspection 298 

University Shops 306 

Engineers in Camp, Engineers' Day 312 

Arkansas-Oklahoma, 1909 324 

Agricultural Building 332 

Dairy Building 338 

Green House 344 



CHAPTER I. 



EARLY SCHOOLS IN ARKANSAS. 

As the University of Arkansas is at the head of the public school 
system of the State, a brief sketch of the early educational conditions, 
of the rise of the public school system, and of antebellum academies 
and colleges of the State will afford a good background for a history 
of the institution. 

The People. 

The white population of Arkansas for the first half of the 19th 
century came from two sources- — the French and the Anglo-Saxon. 
The French settlers came from Canada and Louisiana, while the 
Anglo-Saxon, the main element, came from the states east of the 
Mississippi River. In the educational history of Arkansas the French 
have contributed practically nothing. It is an event of academic rather 
than of practical interest that three years after De Tonti founded 
Arkansas Post, he bestowed upon the church several thousand acres 
of land near the post, and among other things prescribed that the 
missionary there should instruct the natives in agriculture. But what 
appears on paper as an auspicious beginning is no index to the later 
educational work of the French. The priests continued to instruct 
the natives more or less in religion ; yet the French have played an 
inconspicuous and relatively unimportant part in Arkansas history. 
While a few of them were here all during the 18th century, they did 
almost nothing to develop the country. In point of blood the French 
element in our people is insignificant ; in point of influence on our 
civilization, negligible. Instead of lifting the Indians to their level, 
they too often took on the habits of the natives. Even as late as 1799 
the white population of Arkansas was only 368. Hence, in the educa- 
tional history of Arkansas, the only factor to be considered is the 
Anglo-Saxon. 

Of the Anglo-Saxon settlers little needs to be said. They were 
similar in character to the frontier settlers of most American states. 
They came from the older states seeking a virgin soil. They had all 
of the qualities characteristic of American pioneers. Unlike the French 



12 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

they liked country life, and opened and cultivated isolated farms. 
They were inured to hardships and bravely suffered the privations 
and hardships of frontier life — dangers, isolation, felling the forests 
and tilling the soil, almost no trade nor cultural relations with the 
outside world, a "hog and hominy" life. After the first decade of the 
19th century the white population grew rapidly enough. In 1810 they 
numbered 1,062; in 1820, 14,255; in 1830, 30,388; in 1835, 52,241. In 
1819 the most important settlements, scattered over the territory and 
separated by wide stretches of wild forests, were Arkansas Post, Pine 
Blufif, Benton, Cadron, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Davidsonville, Little 
Rock, Pyattstown, and Pecannerie. Of course people under the 
conditions described are more absorbed in solving the problems of 
physical existence than in planting schools and founding universities. 

Private Schools. 

Up until after the Civil War the private school was the prevailing 
type in the educational economy of Arkansas. Indeed, frontier 
conditions prevailed here until the fifth decade of the last century. 
There were no schools of any kind until the second decade, and 
scarcely any until the third. The educational advantages in the early 
days were poor in the extreme. There was no money with which to 
establish and maintain schools, and, moreover, the country was 
sparsely settled, the population in 1819 being only one person to 
every four square miles, and indeed, as late as 1836, less than one 
to the square mile. Education, therefore, was left almost exclusively 
to private effort. The teacher canvassed the community with his 
"articles," as the paper setting forth the terms of the school was called, 
and the people subscribed "scholars" at one or more dollars each per 
month. The teacher "boarded around" among the patrons as part 
pay. Owing to the scarcity of money it was frequently stipulated in 
the contract that he was to be paid in meat, pork, sugar, coff^ee, or 
other produce. The preacher, considered an authority on all subjects, 
often taught these frontier schools. The course of study consisted 
of the three R's — Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmetic. The geography 
of the United States sometimes found its way into these forest schools, 
as Schoolcraft calls them. The all-important text-book, however, 
was Webster's "Blue Back Speller," which served both as a reader 
and a speller. Friday afternoons were given over to spelling matches. 



EARLY SCHOOLS IN ARKANSAS 13 

The neighborhood spelling bee often grew out of these Friday after- 
noon contests. The people for miles around gathered at the school 
house Saturday night. Sides were chosen, two rows faced each other, 
interest ran high as the lines thinned, and loud was the applause that 
greeted the victor. He became the hero of the neighborhood. The 
old log- school house was typical. It served alike for church, school 
and court. It consisted of one large room with a door at one end or 
side and a chimney at the other. The window was a hole two or three 
feet square cut in the wall. A plank pushed between two logs of the 
wall served as a desk, while the benches were split logs supported on 
wooden pegs. Such is a description of the frontier schools. Crude 
as they were, many isolated settlers did not enjoy the advantages of 
even such schools. 

Public Schools Before the Civil War. 

When Arkansas was made a territory, there was on the part of 
the government no organized effort at education. Doubtless a few 
private schools had been taught in the more populous neighborhoods. 
Arkansas, in common with other western states, fell heir to the 16th 
section of each township for common schools. The condition on which 
congress granted these lands to Arkansas was that each 16th section 
should be an endowment for the schools of the township in which it 
was located. The grant was not made as a whole to the State to be 
administered in the interest of the common schools of the State in 
general. The lawmakers took no notice of this grant until November 
21, 1829, when they authorized the county court, on the petition of the 
people of a given township, to appoint a trustee of the school lands. 
The act made it the duty of the trustee to preserve said lands and to 
lease them for a period not to exceed five years at a time. It made 
it the duty of the county court to apply the rents derived from these 
leases to meeting the expenses of running a school or schools in the 
township. As no appropriation was made to supplement the 16th 
section funds, nothing of consequence came of the act. During the 
territorial days there were probably no public schools at all. 

In 1836 Arkansas was admitted into the Union. The framers of 
the state constitution professed great devotion to education, declared 
it necessary to the perpetuity of free institutions, and made it the duty 
of the general assembly to provide for a judicious administration of 



14 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

the federal land grants for school purposes. It does not seem to have 
occurred to them that the 16th section was an inadequate endowment, 
and that to provide efficient schools it would be necessary to supple- 
ment it by a local tax levy or by state appropriations. Arkansas' first 
state governor, James S. Conway, in his inaugural address in 1836 and 
in subsequent messages, urged upon the general assembly a system of 
public schools. He reminded the legislators that the State must rest 
upon the understanding and reverence of the people, that the establish- 
ment of institutions of learning on a liberal scale would give to the 
State a dignified place in the sisterhood of commonwealths, and that 
Arkansas had ample means for founding and maintaining a public 
school system and a university. The governor certainly overestimated 
the value of the land grants or underestimated the cost of a thorough 
system of schools. However, he deserves well at our hands because 
of his strong utterances. 

Act of 1843. — By 1837 the general assembly was convinced that 
the rents on the 16th section would not adequately support a school 
in each township, and therefore passed a resolution, memorializing 
Congress to authorize the State to sell her school lands and to use the 
interest for school purposes. In 1843 Congress granted this request 
by authorizing the general assembly to sell all school lands granted 
by the general government, to invest the money derived from said 
sales in productive funds, and apply the proceeds of said loans to the 
support of schools in the townships for which they were reserved. 
The consent of the people of each township was made a condition 
precedent to such sales. The act was careful to charge the legislature 
with the duty of safeguarding the grants against injury or waste. 
Congress seems to have labored under the impression that the rent 
of the 16th section or the interest on the proceeds of its sale would 
be sufficient to maintain a school in each township, for the act of 1843 
provided that in the event the income in any case was insufficient to 
run the school, the legislature was directed to invest the same in 
productive securities until the proceeds of the funds belonging to said 
township was sufficient to maintain permanently the school or schools 
of the township. 

This act of Congress gave to the legislature plenary power respect- 
ing the school lands. Heretofore the legislature could provide merely 
for leasing them. The State exercised all the rights conferred by the 



EARLY SCHOOLS IN ARKANSAS. 15 

act and provided for the sale of the lands. It can not be said, however, 
that the administration of the trust was wise. In his message of 1843 
Governor Yell pressed the cause of education upon the attention of 
the general assembly, suggested that the law of self-preservation was 
a sufficient incentive to induce us to lay a broad foundation for 
universal education, and urged that the subject be no longer neglected, 
adding, as did Governor Conway, that the State had "ample means 
in the form of land grants for common schools, as well as colleges and 
universities." 

Upon this recommendation the general assembly enacted in 1843 
the first comprehensive school law in Arkansas. The act provided 
that on the prayer of the people of any township where there were 
five families and fifteen white children, the county court should order 
an election in said township for the selection of a commissioner for 
a term of two years, who should be charged with the duty of selling 
the 16th section, and three trustees who should have supervision of 
the schools. The commissioner was directed to sell the 16th section 
on ten years' credit at not less than $2.00 per acre. The trustees were 
authorized to build school houses, to employ teachers, and were 
required to keep a school or schools open four months each year taught 
by a competent teacher. Instruction was "to be given in orthography, 
reading, writing, English grammar, geography, arithmetic, and good 
morals." The commissioner and the trustees were authorized to 
receive donations and subscriptions to supplement the income from 
the 16th section. In taking the annual school census the trustees were 
directed to ascertain the amount subscribed for each pupil, the number 
for whom there was no subscription and who were unable to subscribe. 
The township was required to pay the tuition and furnish the books 
of indigent children. One thousand dollars were appropriated for the 
purchase of books. The law illustrates well the prevailing view of 
public schools ; in fact, it represents the best thought of the State 
regarding a public school system before the war. There is no thought 
of public taxation as a basis of public education. Schools were to be 
supported jointly by private subscription and by the income from the 
16th section fund. The State had no duties in the premises except 
administration. 

Act of 1849. — The law of 1843 was disappointing, if its friends 
hoped that it would provide a system of schools. Six years before its 



16 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

passage Governor Conway had said that Arkansas was almost destitute 
of common schools, and three years after its passage Governor Drew 
could as truthfully say that the State had not carried into execution 
the plan for schools heretofore outlined, nor did he think it could do 
so in the absence of means. The law makers, however, were not to 
be discouraged. They attacked the problem again. This was January 
5, 1849. The occasion was two acts of Congress, one July 29, 1846, 
allowing Arkansas to divert the seminary land fund to the support 
of common schools, and the other, March 3, 1847, authorizing the 
general assembly to sell the saline lands donated by the general 
government to the State. Whereupon the general assembly completely 
re-wrote the school law. The act provides that the funds derived 
from the sale of the seminary and the saline lands shall be divided 
among the counties in proportion to the school census for common 
school purposes, that said fund shall be a perpetual endowment for 
the schools of the county, that the county treasurer shall loan it upon 
good security at not exceeding ten per cent, and shall distribute the 
income thereon among the districts on the basis of school population. 
The political township was made the unit of local school organization. 
It was made the duty of the county judge to require every two years 
on the first Monday in May some justice of the peace in each township 
to hold an election at which the votes of each district should elect 
three trustees, whose duties were those usual to such officers, such as 
taking the school census, employment of teachers, issuing warrants, 
and supervising the school. No school funds were to be expended for 
books, maps, or stationery. To carry out its provisions the act 
appropriated $250,000 from the seminary and the saHne land funds to 
be paid out as the money accrued from sales. The general assembly 
might have appropriated a million dollars as well, for nothing like the 
appropriation made ever came into the treasury from these sources 
to be distributed. The legislators were still groping in the dark ; 
they had not yet learned that prime fact in public education, namely, 
that it must rest for its support upon public taxation. 

Educational statistics do not show that the legislation of 1849 was 
productive of much better results than that of 1843. The secretary of 
state, by reason of his office, was commissioner of schools. In 1854 
David Greer, acting commissioner, made his first report. Many 
counties had sent in no reports ; he was of opinion that some counties 



EARLY SCHOOLS IN ARKANSAS. 17 

had no school organization whatever. He said that the schools of the 
State presented a gloomy pictnre. However, he was not discouraged 
and advised the creation of the office of state superintendent of schools. 
The school fund in the hands of the commissioners from twenty-seven 
counties reporting was $155,544.02, the amount per county varying 
from $600 in Van Buren County to $22,000 in Union County. The 
number of schools reported in the twenty-seven counties varied from 
one to twenty-two. Chicot County reported one school with two 
teachers, and a salary expenditure of $1,800, while Jackson County 
reported twenty-two schools with 500 pupils, and $4,062 for salaries. 
The census of 1860 shows 652 common schools in forty counties, there 
being no reports from twelve counties. The number of schools varied 
from two in Yell to fifty-seven in Washington. For the year 1859-60 
the report for Crawford County shows ten schools, an enumeration 
of 2,470, total receipts of $7,706.02, $1,431.72 of which was derived 
from the county fund, $143.30 from the State, and $6,131 from 
township funds. An average of $27.00 per month was paid to the ten 
teachers, only one of whom was a woman. 

These facts show that the efiforts at public education before the 
war were all but failures. Frequent complaints were heard from 
public officials. Besides those already referred to, Governor Elias 
Conway in 1854 said that there were but few common schools in 
operation because of a lack of means. For the purpose of strengthen- 
ing the schools, he advised that the general assembly authorize the 
county court to appropriate the poll tax for school purposes. Mr. 
Greer, the acting commissioner, in 1856 said with emphasis that the 
school lands were being sacrificed daily by a combination of interested 
persons. Two years later he recurs to the same subject and complains 
that the commissioners are ignoring the plain provisions of the law 
in selling schools lands, and attributes to this fact the failure of the 
school system rather than to its. intrinsic defects. 

Public Schools After the War. 

The war practically stopped all educational work in the State. 
By the close of 1863 the Federals had gained control of over half of 
Arkansas, and under President Lincoln's plan of reconstruction a 
new constitution was framed and adopted early in the following- 
year. Isaac Murphy was elected governor. He was a teacher and a 



18 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

friend of public education. In his address to the people of the State 
May 10, 1865, and in his message of November 8, 1866, he strongly 
urged upon the general assembly the establishment of a system of 
common schools. He had a clear grasp of the situation, for he 
reminded the people that if they had free schools they must pay 
for them, that is, support them by taxation. He told them bluntly 
that they were not to look to the land grants of the general govern- 
ment as a basis of support for their schools. He even went further 
and said that these land bounties of the general government had 
been of little service to the cause of education. It is extremely 
doubtful if they did not even injure the cause in Arkansas by leading 
the people to depend upon them instead upon taxation. Indeed, 
Governor Murphy was our first educational statesman. Other 
governors and legislators had been friendly to the cause, but they 
had failed to grasp the basic principle underlying public schools. 
The general assembly acted upon the governor's advice and 
passed the act of 1867, which reorganized the schools and laid the 
basis of the present system. Schools were to be supported by a 
two mill state tax and the income from the permanent school fund. 
The law created a complete educational machinery — a state 
superintendent of public instruction, county commissioners and 
district trustees. The first tax levy under this law yielded $64,875.32. 
However, the law was scarcely allowed to go into operation. The 
carpet bag government brought into existence by the reconstruction 
acts of Congress overthrew the Murphy government and with it the 
school law of 1867. The carpet bag constitution of 1868 indulged 
in platitudes on the subject of education, made it the duty of the 
general assembly to maintain a system of free schools, created the 
office of superintendent of public instruction, and provided that the 
revenue of the schools should consist of the interest on the permanent 
school fund, a per capita tax of $1.00, and such of the regular revenue 
as might be needed. The general assembly was authorized to 
provide for a local county or district levy, where the State's funds 
might be inadequate. The legislature of 1868, in keeping with the 
educational provisions of the constitution, created the necessary 
machinery for a public school system, such as superintendent of 
public instruction, a state board of education, circuit and county 
superintendents, districts and trustees. The two races were to 



EARLY SCHOOLS IN ARKANSAS. 19 

receive their education in separate schools. The stormy days of 
reconstruction were not favorable for the operation of the law. 
The first apportionment of revenue was in 1870. The State was on 
a scrip basis and this depreciated so that the funds were entirely 
inadequate to meet the educational demands of the people. In 1874 
a revolution in state afifairs swept away the carpet bag government, 
promulgated the present constitution, and in 1875 the general assembly 
passed an act organizing the present common school system, providing 
for a superintendent of public instruction, the present district system, 
county examiners, and revenue to be derived from the following 
sources: two mill state tax, increased in 1907 to three mills; $1.00 poll 
tax, and five mill local district levy, increased in 1907 to seven mills. 
By this time the State had discovered the basic principles underlying 
the public school system, and the later educational history of the 
State is merely a story of the application of these principles. For 
many years the schools were embarrassed for lack of funds on account 
of the poverty of the State after the war and reconstruction. 

Academies and Colleges. 

Perhaps the most typical school before the war was the academy. 
Arkansas had neither a public high school nor a university. Many 
private academies supported by tuition fees flourished in all parts of 
the State. Thirteen were chartered by the legislature in 1859 and nine 
in January, 1861. The principals were usually college graduates ; they 
did a high grade of work, emphasizing culture and character building. 
Greek, Latin and mathematics were the chief subjects in the course 
of study. Some of these schools built up a wide reputation and drew 
students from all sections. They educated many men who later played 
prominent parts in the affairs of the State. Batesville, Fayetteville, 
Little Rock, Rocky Comfort, Spring Hill, Sylvania, Fort Smith, 
Washington, Tulip and Princeton were seats of strong academies. 
Prior to the foundation of the University of Arkansas there were not 
many institutions of college grade in the State. Quite a number 
of seminaries and institutes were incorporated, but they were little 
more than academies. The institutions that attained highest rank 
were St. John's College at Little Rock, Cane Hill College at Cane 
Hill, and Arkansas College at Fayetteville. St. John's College was 
chartered in 1850 as a Masonic institution. The school emphasized 



20 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

the teaching" profession by imposing an obligation of honor upon all 
of its graduates receiving gratuitous instruction to teach in the schools 
of the State at least two years after graduation. Just before the war 
it was conducted as a military school. The war compelled it to 
suspend operations. In 1869 it was reorganized, presided over by 
Prof. O. C. Gray, later a member of the faculty of the University. 
Prof. W. C. Parham taught the languages. After the Brooks-Baxter 
war Rev. A. R. Winfield became its president, and in 1879 Prof. R. H, 
Parham took his place. It later passed out of existence. In 1852 
Cane Hill College was organized with the degree-conferring power. 
Its first president was Robert F. King. He was succeeded by F. R. 
Earl, who served until the war broke out. James Mitchell, who taught 
ancient languages, was later a soldier in the Civil War, and for a time 
taught English and history in the University of Arkansas. The college 
opened up again after the war and did good work until the University 
at Fayetteville, a few miles from Cane Hill, overshadowed it. 

Arkansas College was chartered in 1852, and was located at 
Fayetteville. Its only president was Robert Graham, a man of strong 
personality. Under his leadership the institution won a splendid 
reputation and drew students from all over the State and even from 
other states. Gov. Elias N. Conway in his message of 1854 refers 
to the college as having an enviable reputation and a faculty of 
ability. Among its graduates were Judge R. B. Rutherford, Dr. B. R. 
Du Val, Hon. Wm. M. Cravens of Fort Smith, Judge B. B. Battle, for 
many years on the supreme bench, and White Walker of Fayetteville. 
In 1862 the college buildings were burnt and with this the life of the 
institution ceased. It was doubtless the splendid work of this college 
that prepared the way for the location of the university at Fayette- 
ville. The people of the town and county were educated to appreciate 
the value of an institution of higher education, and when the location 
of the university was thrown open to the highest bidder the people 
responded by a liberal offer. 



CHAPTER II. 

SEMINARY LAND GRANT. 



No other government in the world has been possessed of so large 
a public domain as the United States. Nor has any other government 
in the disposition of its public lands been so generous in its favors 
to education. We are accustomed to think that the general government 
in its first encouragement of education thought of elementary schools 
only. Such was not the case. Contemporary with its donation of 
the 16th section for common schools came its land grants for univer- 
sities. In the mind of our Revolutionary fathers higher education 
was as worthy an object of federal bounty as elementary education. 
This fact is emphasized by some of the early ordinances. May 20, 
1785, Congress passed an "ordinance for ascertaining the mode of 
disposing of lands in the western country," in which it set apart the 
16th section of every township for the maintenance of public schools 
within said township. This is the beginning of that magnificent 
system of federal land grants for education. Two years later it was 
enlarged and took the form of a great national policy, which has been 
consistently carried out ever since. The famous ordinance of July 
13, 1787, stated this policy as follows: "Religion, morality and 
knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness 
of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be 
encouraged." This declaration was a pledge of faith that the general 
government would foster education. Subsequent history shows that 
the pledge has been faithfully kept. It is the glory of our country 
that she had in her infancy a broad statesmanship big enough to lay 
broad and deep the foundations of the young republic in the intelli- 
gence and character of the people. Ten days after the immortal 
ordinance was passed, its companion, a bill entitled "Powers to the 
board of treasury to contract for the sale of western lands," carried 
out the declaration of principle contained in the ordinance. It reserved 
the 16th section in each township for common schools and moreover 
set apart two townships to be used exclusively for the support of a 
unixersit}-, the lands to be located near the center of the territory, 



22 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

and the trust to be administered under the direction of the legislature. 
The last reservation for a university was the first of its kind in the 
history of the country — perhaps of any country — and began a new 
policy. 

The year 1787 is also marked by a large land sale in Ohio. 
Congress provided for the sale to the Ohio Company, a New 
England concern, of 2,000,000 acres in southeastern Ohio, and in 
the transaction reserved the 16th section in each township for 
schools, two townships of good land for a university, and the 29th 
section of each township for religion. About the same time a 
patent to 248,000 acres in southwestern Ohio was granted to John 
Cleves S3^mmes and associates. The same provisions respecting- 
schools, religion and a university appeared in this grant, save that 
only one township was reserved for the latter purpose. The companies 
failing- to comply with the terms of the contract, the cessions lapsed. 
This was the situation when Ohio in 1803 came into the Union. 
Congress applied to Ohio the principles set forth above, and in 
admitting- her as a state reserved for schools every 16tli section and 
three townships for universities, one in each of the two purchases. 
It vested these donations in the legislature to be applied solely for 
the purposes named. This legislation, while specific and not pledging 
the government for the future, settled the main points in our national 
educational policy. Of the twenty-seven land-grant states, nineteen 
received two townships for university purposes, four (Alabama, 
Florida, Wisconsin and Minnesota) received four townships ; Missis- 
sippi and Ohio three, Tennessee 100,000 acres and Utah 200,000. Such 
g-rants were not made to the original thirteen states, nor to the other 
states in which the public lands were not owned by the United States. 
The states which have not received seminary land grants are Maine, 
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, 
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, INIaryland, Virginia, 
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Kentucky and West 
Virginia. 

The Grant to Arkansas. 

Arkansas has been a beneficiary of this land grant policy. On 
February 17, 1818, in providing- for the establishment of additional 
land offices in the territory of Missouri (Arkansas then being- a part 



SEMINARY LAND GRANT. 23 

of said territory), Congress directed that one township of land on the 
waters of the Arkansas River within the territory be reserved for the 
use of a seminary of learning therein. This provision doubtless 
looked towards the ultimate organization of Arkansas as a separate 
territory, and was the first step in the direction of founding a university 
therein. Provision was thus made for the higher education of the 
people even before separate territorial existence was realized. Nothing 
further was done in the matter until March 2, 1827. On that date 
Congress passed an act reserving from sale two entire townships of 
the public lands in Arkansas, to which the Indian title had been 
extinguished or might be extinguished later, "for the use and support 
of a university within said territory, and for no other use or purpose 
whatsoever." The land was to be located in tracts of not less than 
one section. One of the townships set apart by this act was to be in 
lieu of the township described above as having been granted for the 
same purpose in 1818. 

Administration of the Grant. 

Soon after the passage of this law Governor Izard, under the 
direction of the secretary of the treasury, appointed an agent to select 
and locate the seventy-two sections for the university. Governor 
Izard, however, died before the work was completed. His successor 
took up the work where he left off and carried it to completion. In 
his message to the legislature in 1831 Governor Pope said that he had 
finished the selections, expressed the opinion that the lands chosen 
were good, reminded that body that the agents making the selections 
had not been paid, that his efforts to secure their payment had been 
in vain, and he therefore advised that the general assembly provide 
for their payment. 

Lands Under Control of Legislature. — The history of the sale of 
these seminary lands and of the administration of the funds does not 
reflect much credit upon Arkansas. . Its story, however, is a part of 
the educational history of the State and must be briefly told here. 
During the territorial days the governor seems to have largely con- 
trolled the lands, but after statehood the legislature was responsible 
for the sale of the lands and the administration of the funds. By 
an act of Congress March 3, 1833, the governor of Arkansas was 



24 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

authorized to sell twenty sections and to apply the proceeds to the 
erection of buildings for the proposed university. Nothing appears to 
have been done under this act. October 24, 1835, Cong-ress was 
memorialized by the general assembly to confer upon the latter body 
complete control over the seminary lands. For some time the legis- 
lature had been out of humor with Governor Pope for the manner in 
which he was disposing of the capitol lands and building the territorial 
capitol. The members of the general assembly had taken the position 
that the control of such matters should be left in their hands. They 
probably entertained the same view regarding the management of 
the university fund. Congress in admitting Arkansas into the Union 
granted the request of the general assembly by providing in the fifth 
section of the compact of June 23, 1836, later accepted by Arkansas, 
that the two townships granted for seminary purposes should be 
vested in the general assembly to be applied solely for the purposes 
of the donation. The capitol situation was reversed in the manage- 
ment of the university lands and funds. Congress had given Governor 
Pope a free hand in controlling the building of the capitol, and the 
legislature was powerless ; now the legislature was supreme in the 
control of university affairs, and the governor was compelled to 
content himself with making recommendations. 

The sequel of the two experiments shows that the capitol manage- 
ment by the governor was much wiser than the control of the 
university funds by the general assembly. However, the governors 
exercised their prerogative and made recommendations in the premises. 
Governor James S. Conway, our first governor under statehood, in 
his message to the special session of 1837, reminded that body that 
Arkansas had no public institution of learning, and urged that plans 
for a university be formed at once, and that its construction be entered 
upon and pushed to completion. He insisted that the State had the 
means. The general assembly decided to give the governor an 
opportunity of doing at least something for the university. By an act 
of December 17, 1838, the governor was made the agent of the State to 
sell what remained unsold of the seventy-two sections of seminary 
lands. He could sell in lots of not less than one-half quarter sections. 
Thirty days' notice of sale must be given and no land could be disposed 
of at less than $10.00 per acre. The governor, in making sales, was 



SEMINARY LAND GRANT. 25 

authorized to receive one-fourth cash, one-fourth payable one year 
after sale, one-fourth two years, and one-fourth three years thereafter. 
Purchasers were required to give notes with two good and sufficient 
securities, interest at ten per cent. The governor was required to 
deposit all seminary funds with the Bank of the State of Arkansas 
or its branches to the credit of the university fund. The law was 
careful to provide that this fund should not be liable for the debts of 
the bank, and that all profits accruing thereon should be placed to the 
credit of the fund, which should remain intact until appropriated for 
the establishment of a university. 

Fatal Policy Adopted. — According to the provision of this act. 
Governor Conway offered for sale February 17 and 18, 1840, all the 
seminary lands at public auction. Only four eighty-acre tracts were 
sold, the purchase price being $3,312.00. The governor seems to have 
been discouraged by this experience. He therefore in his message 
of November 3, 1840, recommended that the minimum price be reduced 
to $5.00 per acre, and that where not sold at public auction the gov- 
ernor be authorized to sell at private sale. Among other things the 
governor said: "No state in the Union feels more sensibly than 
Arkansas the want of a seminary of learning. The general government, 
with a desire to diffuse knowledge and learning, has placed sufficient 
means at our disposal to establish a seminary of learning of the first 
class." He concluded by saying that the responsibility of applying 
these land grants, including the 16th section, to the objects of their 
donation, rests upon the general assembly. But the governor, not- 
withstanding his good intentions, had suggested the very thing that 
ultimately defeated the object of the grant, namely, the reduction in 
the price of the lands. The law of 1838, fixing the minimum price 
at $10.00 per acre, if carried out, would have realized only $460,800 
in all, not allowing for any loss. While such a price would have 
delayed the sale of some of the lands, yet as they were judiciously 
selected they were good lands, and with the rise in values which 
always accompanies an increase in population, they could have been 
sold for that amount. Besides, reducing the price of such public lands 
is an old game of the land speculators. If by applying to the legis- 
lature they could secure a reduction in the minimum price, they, of 
course, would not pay a higher price. Arkansas legislators, like those 



26 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

of many other states, played into their hands and the potential 
endowment of a great university was sacrificed. 

But the governor had recommended the reduction in price, and 
the legislators were only too glad to pass a law that would add 
to their popularity with their constituents. Hence, on the 28th of 
December, 1840, the governor approved a bill, practically a duplicate 
of the act of December 17, 1838, heretofore analyzed. The material 
changes were that the minimum price at the first public sale and at 
all private sales for six months thereafter was fixed at six dollars, 
for the next six months $5.00, then for six months more $4.00, and 
after eighteen months at $3.00 per acre, "until otherwise altered by 
law." The time for payments was extended to five annual installments. 
Thus not only was the price reduced so low as to defeat the object 
of the grant, but, moreover, by the clause "until otherwise altered by 
law," the people were actually invited to call for further reductions. 
The passage of this act destroyed all well-founded hope for a genuine 
university. However, Governor Archibald Yell two years later did 
not seem to realize this fact ; for in his message of that year he told 
the general assembly that that body had at its command in the form 
of federal land grants ample means for the establishment of colleges 
and universities as well as a system of common schools. He therefore 
became eloquent in his appeal for action : "Then let me appeal to 
you, by the debt you owe your country, by the just claims of morality, 
religion and of freedom, let not the light of knowledge be extinguished 
in your hands, but, on the contrary, build to it honorable temples and 
imperishable altars, that it may be made to descend like the unclouded 
sun, bright and glorious to your posterity." The trouble with the 
loquacious governor was that he was not a college-bred man, and had 
but little conception of what was required for the establishment and 
maintenance of a first-class university. His talk was mere rhetoric. 

Another blow was dealt the proposed university by the legislature 
of 1842 passing a resolution reciting that whereas private parties had 
ignorantly entered upon, occupied and improved some of the university 
lands, said parties were called upon to report the facts to the governor, 
who in turn was directed to deed the lands to them and to have other 
government lands selected in their stead. Such legislation was a 
wanton sacrifice of the State's interests, put a premium on perjury and 



SEMINARY LAND GRANT. 27 

encouraged a reckless disregard of whatever rights the State and 
benevolent causes might have in lands in the future. If these parties 
had entered upon these lands prior to their selection by the State, no 
law was necessary for their relief, as their interests were safe-guarded 
by the preemption laws ; if they occupied them after the government 
had deeded them to the State, they, and not the State, were responsible. 
But after this the governors themselves ceased to hope for a university, 
and their later messages are silent on the subject. The legislators 
in turn saw the inevitable, and on December 18, 1844, sent a memorial 
to Congress asking for a modification of the compact between Arkansas 
and the federal government regarding the seminary lands, so as to 
permit Arkansas to apply the proceeds of the sale of said lands to the 
support of the common schools. On July 29, 1846, Congress granted 
this request by authorizing the general assembly to appropriate the 
seventy-two sections for the benefit of common schools or for the 
promotion of education in any other manner that that body might 
deem wise. 

This act closes the chapter so far as the proposed university is 
concerned. It meant that Arkansas was to have no state university 
until after the Civil War, and that then it was to be crippled for years 
for want of funds because of the poverty of the State brought on by 
the war and reconstruction. If the general assembly had adhered 
strictly to the policy at first adopted of holding the seminary lands 
at $10.00 per acre and had jealously guarded the fund, a respectable 
endowment would have accumulated, and a university on a modest 
scale could have been established before the war. Inexpensive build- 
ings commensurate with the needs of the times could have been 
provided, teachers employed, and the institution conducted with a 
small outlay. The university and its endowment would have grown 
with the growth of the State. This would have been a significant 
fact in the history of the State. It would have meant a larger 
statesmanship in legislative halls and executive chairs, a more enlight- 
ened citizenship, less provincialism, and a broader policy in the 
development of the great material resources of Arkansas. The value 
to the intellectual, moral and material welfare of a state of a strong, 
vigorous university, articulating itself with every interest, can not be 
estimated. How heavily Arkansas lost in her failure to regard the 
university fund as a sacred trust is beyond estimate. 



28 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

In passing- judgment upon our fathers for administering unwisely 
the school and seminary lands (Arkansas showed no more wisdom 
in handling the 16th section lands) we should remember that the 
legislators were inexperienced in such matters, and the people were 
clamorous to get possession of the better class lands. Then it should 
be said that but few states in the Union had in 1836 a real public 
school system. Such as existed were feeble. None of the old states 
had a state university in the modern sense of the term, though some 
had them in name. Neither had any of the new states established a 
worthy institution on the basis of national land grants. Almost 
without exception colleges of the day were private foundations. 
Neither was there an effort to articulate such institutions with the 
public or private schools. There were but few public high schools 
in the country. Hence, there was educational chaos, no system. The 
problem of higher education was yet unsolved. The cause was still 
in the experimental stage and there was no educational Moses to guide. 
That Arkansas did not use to the best advantage her opportunities 
is no special reflection upon her: it simply shows that she in common 
with many other states of her day did not have educational states- 
manship. Indeed the maladministration of the educational bounties 
became so notorious that the general government in recent years 
has been throwing more restrictions around the grant. For instance, 
when North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington were 
admitted in 1889 Congress fixed the minimum price at which the 
school lands could be sold at $10.00 per acre. 

The manner of administering the grant in a few other states is 
here given to afford a basis of comparison. Alabama received 46,080 
acres for a seminary. The land was sold, part of the proceeds was 
used for buildings and the remainder was appropriated to aid the state 
banking system. For the amount thus squandered the State now 
recognizes an indebtedness to the university, upon which an annual 
interest of $36,000 is paid. Missouri received two townships, sold 
the land before the university was founded and realized $222,000. Of 
this sum $122,000 is invested in state certificates of indebtedness at 
six per cent interest and $100,000 at five and one-half per cent. The 
interest is applied to the maintenance of the university at Columbia. 
The State of Michigan sold the seminary lands and realized $545,964. 



SEMINARY LAND GRANT. 29 

On this sum the state pays to the university annual interest at seven 
per cent. Many other states like Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin admin- 
istered the lands poorly. Minnesota, Kansas and Nebraska profited 
by the experience of other states and good results have come of their 
administration of the grants. The action of Alabama in reimbursing 
the university for the money squandered on the banking system 
suggests an awakened sense of public obligation that might well be 
followed by other states that wasted the grant. 

Later History of the Seminary Fund. 

On Dcember 23, 1846, the general assembly constituted the state 
land agent as the agent of the seminary lands, and authorized him to 
sell them at private sale. The price for the first year was fixed at 
$4.00 per acre, for the second year at $3.00 and thereafter at $2.00. 
The purchaser was allowed five years to make final settlement. An 
act approved January 5, 1849, provided for the distribution of the 
proceeds of the seminary and saline lands among the several counties 
in proportion to the number of free white children between the ages 
of ten and twenty-one for the use of the common schools. It was 
to remain a perpetual fund. It was made the duty of the county 
treasurer to invest it in productive securities, and to distribute the 
interest among the school districts of the county. No part of the 
principal was to be expended. 

The sales of the seminary lands up to 1850 were as follows : 

By Governor John Pope 1,734.36 acres. 

By Governor James Conway 320.00 acres. 

By Governor Archibald Yell 5,661.34 acres. 

By land agent 9,081.51 acres. 

Total 16,797.21 acres. 

On October 31, 1837, State Treasurer Wm. E. Woodruff reported 
to the credit of the fund $2,124.53, of which $72.20 was in cash, the 
balance in the form of notes. On October 1, 1840, there was in cash 
$1,215.92 to the credit of the fund. The governor's message in 1842 
reported the total seminary fund at $29,652.25, of which $2,188.40 
was cash, the rest in notes. October 1, 1852, there was distributed 



30 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

among the counties for school purposes $17,105.84 of the seminary 
fund. The governor's message for 1852 gives these facts about the 
fund : 

Amount located 43,416.69 acres. 

To be located 2,663.31 acres. 

Amount sold 25,668.85 acres. 

On hand for sale 17,478.04 acres. 

The total amount received for said lands up to 1852 was $37,319.09; 
amount still due for same (about) $60,000. The auditor's report for 
1854 shows that during the preceding two years $13,578.15 were 
distributed among the counties and that $6,953.92 remained on hand 
October 1 of that year. The amount distributed in the next two 
years was $9,948.82,. leaving a balance on hand October 1, 1856, of 
$2,979.29. During the Civil War and reconstruction nothing much 
seems to have been paid in to the credit of this fund. The legislature 
remitted the interest on seminary land notes for the war period. The 
auditor's report for 1874 furnishes the following information: 

To the credit of the seminary fund Oct. 1, 1872. .$1,962.26 in scrip. 
To the credit of the seminary fund Oct. 1, 1872. . 36.61 in currency. 

Receipts during the ensuing two years 4,522.82 in scrip. 

Expended during the ensuing two years 5,780.68 in scrip. 

Balance in treasury Oct. 1, 1874 704.40 in scrip. 

Balance in treasury Oct. 1, 1874 36.61 in currency. 

Later reports continue to show small amounts to the credit of the 
fund until 1905-06, when the auditor says the last of the seminary 
lands had been sold. 

The extracts given will serve to show that not only was no 
imiversity founded, but that the common schools received a mere 
pittance from the seminary land grant. Aside from the low prices 
at which lands were sold, there were other causes. The failure of 
the State Bank caused a small loss of probably two or three thousand 
dollars. Moreover, many notes were never paid. The notes and 
securities disclose that at times lands were bought by only a few 
persons who became surety for each other. In 1842 all the names on 
the notes, including sureties, numbered less than twenty. Secretary 
of State David Greer, in his capacity as school commissioner, said in 



SEMINARY LAND GRANT. 31 

1856 that the school lands were being sacrificed daily by a combination 
of interested persons. Moreover, it should be remembered that what 
little money was realized on the seminary lands was distributed among 
the counties as fast as it came into the state treasury. It then became 
the duty of the county treasurer to loan it out at interest, taking 
security. Some treasurers protected the funds by safe loans, others 
dissipated it by bad loans. What is left of this fund is now merged 
into the common school fund. 



CHAPTER III. 



LAND GRANT ACT OF 1862. 



The nineteenth century has to its credit many achievements, one of 
the most notable of which was the advancement of science, both pure 
and applied. The demand for technical as well as for scientific 
education i^rew louder and louder with the progress of the century, 
lliis demand has taken form, not only in the strong place assumed 
by pure science in the higher institutions of learning of the country, 
but, moreover, in the well-equipped schools of applied sciences found 
in all of our better class universities. The growth of agricultural 
education is only one of the many forms which popular interest in 
the applied sciences has taken. The now famous land grant act of 
1862, therefore, had behind it deep causal forces and a historical 
background. 

Movement for Aoricultur.vl Educ.\tion. 

A pamphlet was published at Albany in 1819 on "The Necessity of 
Establishing- an Agricultural College," to be endowed and controlled 
by the State of New York. The Agricultural Society of the State took 
up the question of agricultural education and agitated it for the next 
quarter of a century. Experiments in private agricultural schools 
were made in different parts of the country, but not with marked 
success because they were not conducted on right principles. A 
petition with 6,000 signatures, praying for the establishment of 
agricultural schools, was presented in 1838 to the legislature of New 
York. In 1844 the school superintendents of that State expressed the 
opinion that "the elements and scientific principles of agriculture 
should be taught in all schools." Governor Fish in 1849 recommended 
the establishment of an agricultural college. Largely through the 
efiforts of John Delatield the legislature of New York passed an act in 
1853 providing for the establishment of an agricultural college. 
Nothing at the time came of the act because of the death of its chief 
promoter and the failure to appropriate for it. However, Mr. Delafield 



34 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



inspired with his enthusiasm for agricultural education Rev. Amos 
l'>n)\vn, who became one of the chief assistants of Senator Morrill in 
secnriuL; the passas^c oi the land i;rant act of Conj^ress. 

The State of Michigan has the credit of having- established the first 
agricidtural college in the llnited States. The act was passed in 
18.^5. locating it on a farm oi about 500 acres near Lansing. The 
college was opened two years later. The Maryland Agricultural 
College, locatetl on a farm of 400 acres, was chartered in 1856. It was 
supported by both state and prixate aid. It was opened to students 
in 185^X The Minnesota Agricultural College w^as incorporated in 
1858, but had not opened when the Morrill act became law. Iowa, 
Illinois and Wisconsin had taken steps looking towards the establish- 
ment of agricultural, colleges. In 1854 Pemisylvania incorporated the 
■M'^inncrs" lligh School," and 18(>2 changed it to the "Agricultural 
College o\ rcnnsyh ania." The school was supported by private and 
state aid. It was openeil in 1858. This was the most complete school 
of agriculture in the United States in 18(^2. It offered a four years' 
course of stmly, on the completion of Avhich the Ik S. A. degree was 
conferred. This brief summary of the history oi agricidtural education 
up to the time iA the passage of the land grant act shcnvs a growing" 
interest in the subject and suggests that doid)tless the states would 
ha\e i\onc much for the cause iiulependent oi assistance from the 
general goxernment . 

The cause ot agricultural education receixed its nn>st powerful 
stimulus from the federal go\ernment. The now famous land grant 
act i)\ 18oJ marks an epoch not only in the cause of education in 
general, but lA agricultural education in particular. Without it the 
cause would lia\e been delayed for tlecatles. To Justin S. Morrill of 
\'ernu>nt mtire than to any tme else is due the credit for the general 
go\ ernmeiit's action. 1 lowe\er. federal aid had been suggested earlier. 
W bile it prolnddy had no nati()nal inlluence, yet it is a matter of local 
interest that Coxerucu- Archibald Veil, in his message to the general 
assembly in 184.2, after speaking of the importance of agriculture and 
of the spirit of impro\-ement then abroad, he urged that Arkansas 
shouKl encourage the nunement "until the farmer shall have taken 
that high stand in society and government, to which his honorable 
and useful pursuits so well entitle him." lie then added: "\\ith a 



LAND GRANT ACT OF 1862. 35 



view to perpetuate our happy form of government, and to advance 
the threat interest of the laboring classes, inchistry and education 
shniild l)e in some way interwoven; and I know f)f ncj mode Ijctter 
calcuhited t(j suit the conchtions and character of our people than 
agricultural schouls based upon federal donation of the j^eneral 
i^overnmcnl." Here in (governor Yell's message of 1842 is a recom- 
mendation (if the ])lan actually incorjxiratcd in the Morrill act of 1862. 

Tin-: r.lI.L lillFOKK COXOKKSS. 

December 14, 18,57, Mr. Morrill'^ introduced into the lower house 
of Congress a bill "donating ])ublic lands to the several states and 
territories which may prox'ide colleges for the benefit of agriculture 
and mechanic arts." It carried an aj^propriation to each state of 
20,000 acres of public lands for each senator and representative from 
the state in Congress, 'i'he bill met with op])osition and was referred 
to the committee on public lands instead of the committee on 
agriculture, of which Mr. Morrill was chairman. A majority report 
adverse to the measure and a minority report for it were made .\i)ril 



^■^tislin Smith Morrill was born at Strafford, Vrrniont, April 14, iHio. He- 
was tin- c-l(li-st of a famil}' of ten .•hil'Irtn. lie lived ori his father's farm and 
attended tlie district schcjol. His training lure was supplemented by a term in 
'i'hctford Academy. His school education ended when he was fourteen years old. 
and he was employed as clerk in the village store, .\fter working there two years 
lie went to Portland, Mame, where he filled a similar position. In 1830 he returned 
to his native town and was made a partner of his former employer. He remainerl 
here for fifteen years, when, having acquired a moderate fortune, he retired from 
I)USMiess. lie remained in retirement only nine years when he was called to serve 
his state in Congress. In 1855 he began (jne of the longest congressional careers 
recorded in the annals of Congress. He served as representative for twelve years, 
when in 1867 he was sent to the senate. Senator Morrill served his state in this 
capacity for thirty-two years. During this time he is said to have delivered one 
hundred siieeches and to have introduced over two thousand bills. The three most 
inipfirtant bills of which he is said to have been the author are llie tariff bill of 
1S61, measures for the construction and modification of jiulilic buildings, and the 
land grant act of 1862. The last named is that for which be is the most famous. 
The fact that in the midst of a great civil war he turned his attention to education 
is evidence of the broad sanity of the man. In 1877 when Senator Sherman 
resigned as chairman of the finance committee Mr. Morrill was chosen to succeed 
him. He represented the State of Vermont until his death in 1899. 



36 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

15, 1858, after an unwarranted delay of four months. Five days later, 
after debate, the bill passed the house after an able speech by its 
author. He urged upon the members the broadest principles of public 
policy. The public lands, he said, being- common property, should 
be applied to some national purpose comprehensive enough to benefit 
all sections of the country. He reminded them that Congress all 
through our history had used the public lands to promote primary 
and higher education, and he was sure that no other use of them would 
so advance the welfare of the great masses of the people as to devote 
them to the problem of applying the discoveries of science to 
agriculture, mechanics and other industrial arts. In the senate the 
bill went to the committee on public lands and was reported back 
without recommendation. Congress adjourned before final action. 

At the beginning of the next session an attempt to bring the bill up 
met with determined opposition led by Pugli of Ohio, Clay of Alabama, 
Jefferson Davis of Mississippi, and Rice of Minnesota. In its discussion 
the states' rights issue was brought prominently to the front, as the 
following extract from Senator Clay's speech shows : "The federal 
government is the creature of the states and is dependent upon them 
for its organization and operation. All its powers are subordinate 
to the states from whom they are derived. The states are in no wise 
dependent on the federal government for their operation, organization, 
support or maintenance. I stand as an ambassador from a sovereign 
state, no more subject to the control of the federal government, except 
in a few instances provided in the constitution, than any foreign and 
independent state. This bill treats the states as agents instead of 
principals, as creatures instead of creators, and proposes to give them 
their own property and direct them how to use it." Senator Rice of 
Minnesota "looked upon the success of this measure as bringing a 
slow, lingering death to Minnesota." On February 1, 1859, the bill 
passed the senate by a majority of three votes. 

The President's Veto. 

President Buchanan returned the bill to the house with his veto. 
This he did on both expediency and constitutional grounds. He 
reminded Congress that the government was in bad financial condition, 
and that this act would complicate matters by diverting from the 



LAND GRANT ACT OF 1862. 37 



treasury the revenue derived from the sale of public lands. He 
further urged that there w^as then outstanding bounty land warrants 
of almost 12,000,000 acres for the benefit of old soldiers, and that this 
act would glut the market with land script, thus, running down the 
price of land and doing an injustice to the old soldiers as well as an 
injury to the treasury. He thought that the measure was vicious 
because it would disturb the normal relations of state and federal 
governments, tending to cause the states to fall into the habit of 
looking to the general government to finance state institutions. 
Moreover, the president felt that the measure was undemocratic in 
that it would encourage land speculators to buy up large tracts of 
land and discourage the purchase of small farms by actual settlers. 
After adding that Congress had no power to enforce the terms of the 
prant, and that it would create in the several states rival institutions 
with existing colleges, he said the act was unconstitutional because 
Congress had no power to appropriate for education. He insisted that 
education was not among the enumerated grants of power in the 
constitution, that it was a recognized state function, and that for 
Congress to appropriate for it would break down the barrier so care- 
fully erected in the constitution between state and federal authority. 
Moreover, he did not think that the fact that the endowment of educa- 
tion proposed in the bill was to be derived from federal lands altered 
the case. He said that Congress would be under the same constitu- 
tional limitations in appropriating the proceeds of the public lands as 
it was in appropriating funds derived from taxation. The veto killed 
the l)ill. 

The Fight Continued. 

The friends of the bill were not discouraged. Mr. Morrill, however, 
knew that so long as President Buchanan was in office there was no 
use in bringing the bill forward. But upon the assembling of the first 
regular session of Congress after President Lincoln was inaugurated, 
Mr. Morrill, December 16, 1861, introduced the bill again in the house 
of representatives. It is a testimony to the balance, the serenity and 
the faith of Mr. Morrill that he should, in the midst of the excitement 
of war, have turned his attention to the consideration of a great 
question of constructive statesmanship. However, he found the house 
in no mood to consider the bill, and so on May 2, 1862, he had the, 



38 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



same bill introduced into the senate by Senator Wade of Ohio. The 
measure met with unsuccessful opposition again. Senator Lane of 
Kansas going so far as to declare it the most iniquitous bill ever 
introduced into Congress. It passed the senate June 10 by a vote of 
32 to 7. In the house Mr. JMorrill was having trouble, for the 
committee on public lands had reported the bill adversely, and Mr. 
Morrill had made an unsuccessful attempt to get leave to introduce 
a substitute bill. However, opposition seems to have largely given 
away when the senate bill came over to the house. Seven days after 
it passed the senate Mr. Morrill succeeded in calling it up and in 
securing its passage by a vote of 90 to 25. The measure was not 
debated in the house, though attempts were made to amend and 
delay it. On July 2, 1862, the bill became a law by the approval of 
President Lincoln. 

But few people in the country outside of the author had any 
adequate appreciation of the scope of the new law. Indeed, Mr. 
]\Iorrill himself did not see the far-reaching and revolutionary 
character of the measure. The opposition to the bill was largely 
based upon a failure to understand its spirit and plain provisions. 
The field upon which Congress entered in this act was new, and it 
is a matter of no surprise that the opinions expressed in the debate 
were crude. The bill and its passage are probably due to an idea then 
beginning to take hold of the people of the wonderful possibilities of 
science. There was a vague ill-defined feeling that education should 
be more practical and better related to the daily tasks of life. Mr. 
Morrill's claims to statesmanship lie in his clear interpretation of this 
spirit and accurate incorporation of it into law. Perhaps the fact that 
he was not a college man enabled him to free himself from the 
prejudices of the traditional education, and to appreciate the thoughts, 
feelings and needs of the great masses of the people. 

An.vlvsis of the Act. 

Section one of the act granted to each state public lands equal 
to 30,000 acres for each senator and representative in Congress to 
which the state was entitled under the census of 1860. Mineral lands 
were excepted from the provisions of the act. Section two provided 
that the land should be apportioned to the states in subdivisions of 



LAND GRANT ACT OF 1862. 39 

not less than quarter sections ; that where a state had sufficient public 
lands sul)ject to sale at private entry at $1.25 an acre, its quota should 
be selected from public lands within its borders ; that where otherwise, 
the secretary of the interior was instructed to issue said state land 
scrip to the amount in acres for the deficiency of its distributive share. 
A state receivini;- land scrip was not alk)wed to locate the same within 
another state ; on the contrary it must sell the same to private parties 
who were authorized to locate the claim on any of the unappropriated 
public lands subject to private entry, provided that not more tlian a 
million acres be located in any one state. Section three protected 
the fund against diminution by providing- that all expenses of manage- 
ment of said lands, of taxes thereon, and all expenses of administering 
the funds derived ivom their sale should be paid by the states receiving 
the same. Section four required that all funds derived from said land 
or scrip should be invested in good securities, yielding not less than 
five per cent on their par value, and that this investment should 
constitute a perpetual fund, the capital of which should not be 
diminished except as provided in the act. It was made the sacred 
duty of states receiving the benefit of the act to appropriate all of 
the interest accruing upon said fund "to the endowment, support and 
maintenance of at least one college where the leading object shall be, 
without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including 
military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to 
agriculture and mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislatures of 
the states may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal 
and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits 
and professions in life." 

Section five prescribed several fundamental conditions upon which 
a state before becoming a beneficiary was required to give legislative 
assent. In the first place each state must agree to replace any part of 
the fund thus received, should it ever be lost or diminished ; it must also 
pledge itself to apply regularly all of the interest on this fund to the 
purposes named in the fourth section of the act, provided that not to 
exceed ten per cent, of the amount might be expended for sites or 
experiment farms where authorized by the legislature. However, 
no part of the fund under any circumstances could be applied to 
the purchase, erection or repair of buildings. In the next place a 



40 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



state desiring to claim the benefit of the act was required within five 
years to provide at least one college as defined by the fourth section, 
or thereby forfeit its share of the grant, and moreover, should refund 
to the general government all mone3^s received from the sale of said 
lands or scrip. It was further stipulated as a condition of the grant 
that there should be sent to the secretary of the interior and to all 
colleges endowed by this act, an annual report of the progress of the 
college, setting forth in particular improvements and experiments, 
with costs and results, and other matters, including statistics of 
industrial and economic activities within the state. While engaged 
in rebellion against the general government states were not entitled 
to the benefits of the act. It was further conditioned that a state, 
through an act of its legislature, must express its acceptance of the 
grant within two years from the date of the approval of the bill by the 
president. 

Meaning of the Act. 

Such is a brief analysis of the main provisions of the land grant 
act. It will be noted that the purpose of the act as expressed in 
section four is broad and comprehensive, worthy of the great govern- 
ment that was thus inaugurating a new era in the educational history 
of the country. This purpose is well expressed by the author of the 
bill, when he was discussing the subject before the lower house. 
Among other things Mr. Morrill said : "It proposed to establish at 
least one college in every state, upon a sure and perpetual foundation, 
accessible to all, but especially to the sons of toil, where all the needful 
sciences for the practical avocations of life shall be taught ; where 
neither the higher graces of classical studies, nor the military drill 
our country now so greatly appreciates, will be entirely ignored, and 
where agriculture, the foundation of all present and future prosperity, 
may look for troops of earnest friends, studying its familiar and 
recondite economies, and at last elevating it to a higher level, where 
it may fearlessly invoke comparison with the most advanced standard 
of the world." 

The purpose of the act in one sense may be said to be narrow in 
that it emphasized agriculture and mechanic arts more than other 
subjects and interests. It may be urged that an educational policy 
worthy of a great nation should be more comprehensive, that it should 



LAND GRANT ACT OF 1862. 41 

1)6 cosmopolitan. But the circumstances under which the act was 
written explain the seeming narrowness of the measure. At that 
time, what may be termed general culture education, did not need 
special emphasis ; it was sufficiently, even though narrowly, emphasized 
by the classical colleges of the time scattered all over the country. 
The United States was a great agricultural and industrial country. 
Yet agriculture and mechanic arts were receiving practically no 
attention in the educational systems of the day. For instance, outside 
of West Point and xAnnapolis, there were not half a dozen institutions 
in the United States oiTering advanced instruction in civil engineering, 
and none whatever giving instruction in electrical engineering. For 
the young man looking to mining engineering his only hope lay in 
practical apprenticeship. There was probably at the time not a physics 
laboratory in the country and only theoretical physics was taught. 

The natural sciences were in about the same condition. They 
needed the emphasis of some powerful influence. The government 
of the United States, with its power and prestige, gave to the cause 
the stamp of its approval and support. In doing so, however, it 
recognized other subjects ; in making special mention of agriculture 
and mechanic arts, it thereby emphasized them, but did not exclude 
other subjects. The fact is. on the basis of the grant, without violating 
any of its provisions and in perfect accord with the endowment, the 
broadest institutions of learning on the continent, yea, in the world, 
are founded. Almost every conceivable interest of man and subject are 
investigated and taught in some of the land grant colleges. It is also 
noteworthy that agriculture and mechanic arts are better developed 
and taught in those colleges that are broadest and most cosmopolitan ; 
that is, that have all departments of a great university, rather than 
in those institutions which confine themselves to the special subjects 
emphasized in the congressional act. In other words, applied sciences 
are better developed in the atmosphere of a genuine university as 
defined by Ezra Cornell — "an institution, where any person can find 
instruction in any study." 

The cosmopolitan universities, into which some of the land grant 
colleges have developed, are in perfect harmony with the purpose of 
Mr. Morrill. This is clearly set forth in one of his later public 
utterances: "It is perhaps needless to say that these colleges were 



42 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

not established or endowed for the sole purpose of teaching agriculture. 
Their object was to give an opportunity for those engaged in industrial 
pursuits to obtain some knowledge of the practical sciences related to 
agriculture and the mechanic arts : such as they could not then obtain 
at most of our institutions called classical colleges." 

Obviously, not manual but intellectual instruction was the para- 
mount object. It was not provided that agricultural labor in the 
field should be practically taught any more than the mechanical trade 
of a carpenter or blacksmith should be taught. Moreover, it was a 
liberal education that was proposed. Classical studies were not to 
be excluded. The act of 1862 proposed a comprehensive system of 
higher education, not limited to a superficial and dwarfed training, 
such as might be had at an industrial school, nor a mere manual 
training, such as might be supplied by a foreman of a workshop or by 
the foreman of the experimental farm. Mr. Morrill used to say that 
the convenience of an index clerk was responsible for the name 
"agricultural college," being commonly used in referring to the 
institutions brought into existence under the act of 1862. The breadth 
of the author's view is emphasized in the title of a supplemental bill 
introduced by him December 15, 1873, which read "National colleges 
for the advancement of general scientific and industrial education." 

The land grant act was later amended. The occasion for the 
amendment was that the Civil War had made it impossible for the 
southern states to comply with its provisions in time to become 
beneficiaries. For their benefit it was amended July 23, 1866, extending 
the time within which states might comply with the terms of the act. 
They were allowed three years from the passage of the amendatory 
act to express their acceptance, and five years from the date of filing 
said acceptance to provide the college required by it. It was further 
stipulated that territories becoming states could receive the benefits 
of the act by filing acceptance of its provisions within three years 
from the date of their admission into the Union and by providing the 
college required within five years after said acceptance. Under this 
amendment Arkansas and other southern states became beneficiaries 
of the act. 



CHAPTER IV. 



ORGANIC ACT OF THE UNIVERSITY. 



When the land grant act was passed Arkansas was in the throes 
of the Civil War, and, of course, the people were in no humor to 
consider the measure. Besides, in order to secure the benefits of the 
law they would have to lay down arms, make peace and submit to 
such terms as Congress might prescribe. This they would entertain 
no thought of doing in 1862. Hence, the question was not even con- 
sidered. However, physical conditions largely control human actions. 
As the war progressed the Federals gained ground in Arkansas. By 
September, 1863, they controlled the Arkansas River and the territory 
north of that stream. At once people loyal to the Union took steps 
to organize a loyal state government. Early in 1864 an irregular 
convention met in Little Rock, framed a constitution and submitted 
it to the people for ratification. It received almost the unanimous 
support of those voting. According to its provisions loyal state 
officials were elected, and a new state government was started ofif with 
Isaac Murphy as governor. Until the close of the war it divided 
with the confederate state government at Washington, in southeast 
Arkansas, the jurisdiction of the State, the loyal government con- 
trolling north of the Arkansas River. 

Arkansas Accepts the Land Grant Act. 

Act of 1864. — It was this loyal government of 1864 that took the 
first steps toward securing the benefits of the land grant act for 
Arkansas. As early as April 29, 1864, John I. Taylor, representing 
Phillips and Monroe counties in the senate, introduced into that body 
a series of resolutions, reciting, that, as the congressional act of July 
2, 1862, is well known to the members of this general assembly, as 
a state in order to enjoy its benefits must accept its provisions within 
two years of its passage, and as Arkansas is excluded at present from 
sharing its benefits because of the existing rebellion, this legislature 
hereby express on behalf of Arkansas her high approval of said 
donation, and pledge that, so soon as Congress will permit her to do so, 



44 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

the State will comply with the conditions of the act. The resolution 
further suggested to our representatives in Congress that they use 
their efforts to secure an extension of time for acceptance of the act 
by the State of Arkansas. Mr. Taylor here presumed that Congress 
would seat our senators and representatives recently elected. As a 
matter of fact they were refused their seats and Arkansas had no 
representation in that body until the reconstruction acts of Congress 
were put into operation in the State in 1868. Mr. Taylor's resolutions 
were favorably received, but on the following day he withdrew them. 
The significance of this action appeared when on the same day he 
introduced a bill "signifying the assent of the general assembly of 
Arkansas to an act of Congress in relation to donations of public 
lands." On maturer consideration he decided that a wiser course would 
be to presume that normal relations existed between the loyal state 
government of Arkansas and the general government, and that as the 
two years for acceptance of the grant had not expired, Arkansas should 
pass an act in the ordinary course of legislation complying with the 
conditions. The bill met with a favorable reception and passed both 
houses without a dissenting vote. The act was approved May 11, 
1864. It gave the assent of the general assembly to the donation and 
pledged the faith and honor of the State to the faithful performance 
of all the conditions required. It furthermore directed the secretary 
of state to transmit a copy of the act to the secretary of the interior. 

Act of 1867. 

In 1866 the general assembly convened again. In the meantime 
no further steps had been taken to make the college land grant 
effective in Arkansas. Governor Murphy, in his message, transmitted 
to the legislature November 8, 1866, incorporates as a part of the 
message an address to the people of Arkansas dated May 10, 1865, 
which contained a strong paragraph on education, including his 
recommendations relative to the land grant act. He said the State 
by the act of May 11, 1864, had complied with the condition requiring 
acceptance within two years. He entertained no doubts about the 
legality of the act, as the state government was performing all the 
functions common to such a government, and was so recognized at 
Washington. The onlv thing left for Arkansas to do to receive the 



ORGANIC ACT OF THE UNIVERSITY. 45 

benefits of the grant according to Governor Murphy was to provide 
a college within the prescribed limit of five years. To do this would 
require quick action on the part of the general assembly. The governor 
not only appreciated the importance of a good system of common 
schools and the value of the old line classical education, but moreover, 
was in sympathy with schools of agriculture and of technology. He 
looked upon "the educated and refined cultivator of the soil as a 
gentleman occupying the most elevated and independent position in 
society." He therefore urged upon the general assembly to establish 
an agricultural college as a part of a general scheme of public education. 
This part of the governor's message was referred to the committee 
on state lands in the senate, and on November 24, 1866, William 
Hicks, senator from White and Jackson counties, chairman of said 
committee, reported a bill signifying the assent of Arkansas to the 
land grant act. It will be remembered that on July 23, 1866, Congress 
had amended the act of 1862, extending the time within which states 
might accept the grant to three years from the date of the amendatory 
act, and the time for providing a college, to five years from the date 
of filing the acceptance. It was in accordance with the provisions of 
this act that the new bill to accept the grant was proposed. Wlien 
introduced the bill contained a paragraph declaring that Arkansas 
was not in rebellion or insurrection against the government of the 
United States, and was therefore entitled to the benefits of the act. 
This provision was doubtless suggested by the continued refusal of 
Congress to admit our representatives to seats in that body. The 
clause was later stricken out. As amended the bill passed both houses 
and became a law January 31, 1867. In addition to accepting the 
grant in general terms as did the act of 1864, this law went into details, 
promising to replace in case of loss any portion of the fund or interest 
derived from the land grant, to allow no part of the fund to be used 
on buildings, to provide at least one college within five years, and to 
make the required annual reports. It is perhaps fortunate that the 
general assembly decided to pass another act of acceptance and not 
to stand with the governor on the proposition that the act of 1864 
was sufficient. While the constitution and government of Arkansas 
in 1867 were the same as in 1864, yet the war was still in progress 
and a large part of the State was still in rebellion in the latter year. 



46 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

But the Murphy government was not permitted to carry out its 
plan of establishing the university. It had shown its purpose in two 
acts of the legislature accepting the grant and in a positive utterance 
of the governor. In less than two months, however, from the passage 
of the last act of acceptance, the first reconstruction acts of Congress 
were passed. They overturned the Murphy government and supplanted 
it with military rule, Arkansas being made a part of the fourth military 
district under General Ord. It is true that a part of the civil officers 
of the State, including Governor Murphy himself, were permitted to 
exercise their functions, yet they were subject to the paramount 
authority of the military. According to the provisions of the recon- 
struction acts, a constitutional convention convened at Little Rock in 
January, 1868, and framed a new constitution, creating a new state 
government presumably more loyal than the Murphy government. 
Under this constitution the reconstruction government controlled the 
State for six years. The article in the constitution on education 
contained a clause making it the duty of the general assembly, as 
soon as funds were available, to "establish and maintain a State 
University with departments for instruction in teaching, in agriculture 
and the natural sciences." 

Act of 1868. 

The general assembly, at its first session under the new constitution, 
took up the university question and passed an act approved July 23, 
1868, entitled "An Act Establishing an Industrial University." It 
pledged the faithful application of the income from the endowment 
to the legitimate expenses of the institution, and forecast in a 
general way what would be included in the course of study. It 
provided that in addition to the usual course of study prescribed 
in universities there should be taught "agriculture, mechanic arts, 
engineering and military science." The tuition in the university 
should be as nearly free as possible, and free scholarships were to be 
provided for the descendants of the soldiers and seamen of the United 
States in the late war, and one such scholarship for the brightest and 
most proficient scholar in the public schools of each county. A board 
of trustees, consisting of the superintendent of public instruction and 



ORGANIC ACT OF THE UNIVERSITY. 47 

one member from each judicial district appointed by the i>overnor, 
was created. 

Individuals, towns, counties, cities and townships were authorized 
to bid for the location of the university. Counties, cities, townships 
and incorporated towns through their constituted authorities for the 
})urposes of the act were authorized to subscribe such amounts as they 
might see fit, and to provide for it by taxation or by the issue of bonds 
payable in not exceeding' twenty years and bearing not over ten per 
cent, interest. Before such a subscription was complete there must 
l)e a petition signed by one hundred legal voters praying for an election 
to be held to decide upon the proposed bid. The election was to be 
held and returns made according to the law governing elections. A 
majority vote was to pre\'ail. The vote taken in accordance with this 
act was made binding upon the inhabitants of any county, city, 
township or incorporated town, and the proper authorities thereof 
might make and enforce any orders for carrying the objects of the 
act into efifect. 

The location of the university was to remain open to competitive 
bids until the first day of the next session of the general assembly. 
Upon that day the board was required to meet at the capital and make 
a full report to the legislature. "Upc^n receipt of the report of the 
board the general assembly shall, by proper legislation, accept the 
]M'oposal or l)id made in behalf of such location, which shall be the 
highest in amount and the most advantageous to the interests of 
education in this State."" That practically nothing was done under 
this act is best shown by the following report of the board made 
through the superintendent of public instruction at the opening of 
the legislature of 1871 : "In the multiplicity of matters claiming 
attention, the subject of the report to the legislature had been 
overlooked until recently, and the provisions of the law of 1868 have 
been in great part neglected to be carried into effect, the governor 
not having appointed the members from the several judicial districts 
in time to advertise propositions from the different parts of the State, 
so as to be able to make report to the general assembly at the opening 
of the session. They hope to be able to report fully before the 
adjournment of the legislature." The governor, in fact, had not 
app(,)inted the board until December 31, 1870. It consisted of \\'. M. 



48 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Wygaiit, E. R. Knight, W. H. Gillen, Wm. H. H. Clayton, E. E. 
Henderson, W. A. Stewart, F. M. Chrismas, David C. Casey, H. A. 
Millen and John H. Hutchinson. Only one name, that of H. A. 
Millen, appears on the first active board. 

Organic Act OF 1871. 

But the board never made a further report, and the general 
assembly wisely proceeded to rewrite the law on the subject, that of 
1868 being crude and incomplete. This effort resulted in the organic 
act of March 27, 1871, entitled "An act for the location, organization 
and maintenance of the Arkansas Industrial University with a normal 
department therein." The state treasurer was' made the financial agent 
to receive the land scrip to which the State was entitled under the act of 
1862, and, under the direction of the board of trustees, to sell the same 
and to invest the proceeds in government bonds. The act created a 
board of trustees of eleven members, consisting of the state superin- 
tendent of public instruction, ex-of(icio president, and one member from 
each judicial circuit to be elected by the legislature. In the event of the 
failure of the legislature to elect, the governor was empowered to 
appoint the trustees. The board was authorized to form themselves 
into a body corporate under the general laws of the State and as such 
to exercise all of the powers of like corporations in the execution of, 
the objects of the trust. A majority constituted a quorum, but a 
smaller number might adjourn from day to day and send for absent 
members. The president, upon his own initiative, or upon the petition 
of three members, could call meetings of the board. The members 
were allowed their expenses and a per diem of $2.50 each while in the 
discharge of official business. 

The board was authorized to elect one of its members secretary 
and another treasurer, and to fix a small compensation for the services 
of each. The treasurer was to be a bonded officer. He was authorized, 
under the direction of the board, to draw from the state treasury 
money as needed ; provided, that he did not draw or have out at any 
one time more than $10,000. It was made the duty of the president 
of the board to make on behalf of that body biennial reports to the 
governor, setting forth in detail the condition and work of the 
university, all business transactions of the board and the financial 



ORGANIC ACT OF THE UNIVERSITY. 49 

condition of the institution. Moreover, he was to recommend such 
lei^islation as the interests of the universit}- required. The board was 
clothed with the power to locate, organize and manage the university. 

Any county, city or incorporated town was authorized to bid for 
the location of the university, and to raise the money subscribed either 
by taxation or by the issue of bonds payable in not ovei thirty years, 
and bearing' not to exceed eight per cent, semi-annual interest. Where 
any community desired to bid for the location, upon the prayer of 
fifty or more voters, the city council or county court, as the case might 
be, was directed to meet on the first Monday of July, 1871, fix the 
amount of the bid, and submit the question to the electors, giving at 
least ten days' notice. The time fixed for the elections to determine 
bids was the first Monday in August, 1871. A majority cast in favor 
of the proposed bid adopted it. The returns of all such elections were 
to be made to the county clerk, and he in turn was required to certify 
the results of the election to the superintendent of public instruction. 
All bids must appear in the records of the county or city. 

The trustees were to meet on the third Monday in September at 
the office of the state superintendent to canvass the bids. They were 
authorized to adopt any means necessary to determine the solvency 
of the bidders and the character of the places seeking the location. 
They were furthermore directed, in determining the location, to 
consider "health, accessibility and other vital interests," also the 
adaptability of the location to the leading- sciences to be taught, the 
climate and healthfulness of the place, the cost of building and supplies 
necessary for the institution, and the interest of such beneficiaries as 
it is intended to aid, and thus considering shall locate according to 
the highest and best bid." 

The Location to ee Permanent. 

The law sought to make the location final when once fixed, binding 
alike upon the community and the State. When the board accepted 
any oft'er and located the university in accordance with the terms of 
the oiTer. "then the liability of such county, city or town shall be 
irrevocable, and forever fixed and binding." Section six reemphasized 
the permanency of the location in rather strong- language : "and when 



50 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



a location is made 1\\' such trustees, if nuule ui^on and in acciM'clance 
with such l)id, such location, in consideration of the sum so bid, shall 
thereafter be irrevocable by the State, and all moneys, emoluments, 
benefits and advantages derived, or to be derived from the donations, 
L;"rants, endowments, bids, subscriptions, oi or frcMii the Congress oi 
the United States, and the act donating- public lands to the several 
states and territories which may provide colleges for the benefit of 
agriculture and the meciianic arts, aiipro\-cd Jnl\- 2. 18o2, or otherwise; 
or from the State, or any county, city or to\\n corporation, or 
individual for an agricultural and mechanical, or normal college, in 
this State, shall pass to and rest in said State, for the use of said 
institution so located, and without diminution or division, shall be 
kept, used and expended for the sole benefit of said universit}', at 
the place of such locatimi, and not elsewhere : and while the donations, 
bids and subscriptions of individuals, counties, cities or towns shall 
be irrevocable and forever binding- upon them, the faith and credit 
of the State is pledged to carr}- out this agreetuent and act on her 
part." 

The interests of the community securing- the location were further 
protected by a requirement, that it should be given first option on the 
sale of bonds issued b}' it to secure the uni\ersit}-. and bv a pro\-iso 
that it should not be required to pay interest on its bonds for more 
than one year before the uni\-ersity buildings were erected and the 
school opened. All property or bonds accepted in consideration of 
location were made a part of the funds of the university, to be held 
by the treasurer as financial agent and by him sold or deposited under 
the directions of the board. Purchasers of cit}- or count}- bonds issued 
under this act were protected b}' a provision requiring- the counts- 
court c^r city council tc> levy an annual tax to coser the interest. 
Upon a failure to do so it became the duty of any court of competent 
jurisdiction to compel specific performance. It was further provided 
that, if there was no bid. the board should proceed to locate the 
unisersit}- at such a place as the best interest of the people of the 
State recpiired. 

The act made it the duty of the bc^ard to erect university building-s 
ec[ual in value to all donations received for the location. For the 
performance of this duty it was given all the powers nccessarv to 



ORGANIC ACT OF THE UNIVERSITY. 51 



employ arcliitects. to adopt plans and specifications, and to construct 
buildings. Should the community securing- the location not donate 
as much as 100 acres ol" land, it was made the duty of the board to 
purchase not less than 1()0 acres nor more than 640 acres. As no part 
of the proceeds of the federal grant could be used for buildings, and 
as the money that might be derived from the successful bidder for the 
location would not be axailable in time for the erection of buildings 
within the time i)rescribed by the amendatory act of Congress dated 
July 23, 1(S66, the organic act appropriated $.S0,000 to be expended in 
])urchasing a site, in erecting buildings and in organizing the univer- 
sity. The board was further authorized to employ all ])rofessors 
and officers necessary, to fix their salaries, and make such rules and 
regulations concerning the government and discipline of the university 
as it might deem wise. The power to make rules governing" scholar- 
ships was also lodged with the trustees. Lest the power to perform 
something vital to the interest of the pro])osed institution were left 
out, a sweeping [provision was inserted conferring upon the board 
authority to do anything necessary to give force and effect to the act 
and to organize completely and put into full operation the university. 

liRANCn NoRIM.VL. 

On A])ril 23, 1873, an act supplementary to the act creating the 
unixersity was approved. It provided for the establishment of a 
branch normal college to be under the control of the trustees of the 
main university. This college was created for the benefit of the 
colored population, though there is nothing- in the act to suggest 
the fact. It does not contain the wa)rd "colored" or "negro." The 
framers were careful not to recognize in the law the element of race. 
In selecting the location the board was directed to consider "the 
interests of the State, and especially the convenience and well-being- 
of the poorer classes." On account of the location of the main institu- 
tion, it was provided that the branch normal should be placed south, 
east or southeast of Pulaski County, fience the law^ recpiired the 
normal to be located in the heart of the colored population of the 
State. The act contemplated that donations would be made for the 
location and the trustees were directed to receive and apply the same 
on the purchase of grounds and the construction of buildings. The 



52 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

branch normal was to be under the same general regulations as was 
the university. Students were to be admitted to the same courses, 
upon the same conditions and qualifications as they were at the main 
institution. It was furthermore made the duty of the board to furnish 
the college with instructors and professors equal in number and 
attainments to those in the normal department of the main university, 
to prescribe the same books, course of study and proficiency required, 
and to bestow the same degrees and honors as were conferred in the 
main normal college. All the provisions of the organic act of 1871 
respecting the organization, government and maintenance of the 
university except those inconsistent with this act were to be applied 
to the branch normal college. The board was directed to proceed 
with the construction of buildings and the organization of the school 
as soon as practicable. 

Summary. 

Such in brief is an analysis of the organic act of the university. 
The general assembly had undertaken a great task — the problem of 
organizing a university, of determining the higher educational policy 
of the State, of laying the foundation of an institution destined to 
influence largely the history of a great commonwealth. It was not, 
however, a new problem. Other states had gone on before. It was 
a question upon the solution of which she might bring to bear the 
experience of other states. It must be confessed, however, that this 
experience did not throw much light upon the problem. Most 
American state universities and all land grant colleges were 3^oung, 
and while some of them have grown into great institutions, that 
development has been since the organization of the University of 
Arkansas. They were still in their swaddling clothes in 1871. The 
country was still in the experimental stage. The fact is, the problem 
of the American state university had 3'et to be worked out ; it can 
scarcely be said to have been even typed in 1871. If Arkansas made 
mistakes in connection with her university, she has had the common 
experience of mankind in dealing with new questions. 

Some things are remarkable for their absence from the organic 
act. For instance no reference is made to degrees. In fact no law 
has directly bestowed upon the universit}' the degree-conferring power. 



ORGANIC ACT OF THE UNIVERSITY. 53 

It is noteworthy that no degrees were conferred on the first oraduating 
class. They were merely called graduates and are so listed in all 
catalogues. Neither does the law say anything about high schools 
nor did the State at the time have any statute dealing with the subject. 
Moreover there were the fewest secondary schools in the State and 
they were private. There were no public high schools except in Little 
Rock, which established its high school in 1869. A system of good 
high schools is a necessary basis for a real state university, yet no 
provision was made for them in founding the University of Arkansas. 
\Mien the institution was put into operation, however, those in 
authority regarded the preparatory department as a temporary evil 
to be gotten rid of as soon as the high schools were sufficiently 
developed. It is also noteworthy that the act does not attempt to 
prescribe the course of study, nor the subjects to be taught. It does 
not even quote the provision of the land grant act on that subject. 
Neither does it go into details in providing for the organization and 
government of the university ; indeed, it does not so much as indicate 
the broad outline of its organization. It does not even emphasize 
agriculture and mechanic arts unless making it the duty of the board 
to carry on the university "according to the true spirit and intent 
of the acts of Congress" is construed in that light. The act does not 
mention them. The normal feature may be said to be emphasized 
in that it is mentioned in the title of the act, though even it is barely 
referred to in the Ijody of the law^ Moreover the law makers did not 
say what professorships should be created nor did they fix the salaries 
of teachers and officers. 

A Cosmopolitan University Planned. 

All this was wise. Even a pro\^ision regarding high schools would 
probably have been premature. The board was clothed with plenary 
powers regarding the university. It was authorized to fix the courses 
of 'study, to create professorships ad libitum, to fix salaries, and to 
make changes as developments suggested. There is a tradition that 
Judge Lafayette Gregg was the author of the act of 1871. Whoever 
the author was, it is creditable alike to him and to the general assembly 
that passed it. The wisdom of the act lies in its breadth and general 
character, in the absence of details with respect to organization and 



54 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



course of study, in the failure of the general assembly to tie the hands 
of the future by superimposing in advance its solution of university 
problems. Hence the act g"ave liberty and opportunity for expansion 
as future needs suggested. Section eleven illustrates this. After it 
had enjoined economy upon the board by forbidding the creation at 
first of professorships not absolutely required, it adds "but they may, 
from time to time as the finances will allow, and the advancement 
and necessities of the institution require, fill other chairs, and add to 
the buildings, furniture, libraries, apparatus and other things proper 
to the full operation and well being of a first-class university.'" [Italics 
the author's.] This clause taken in connection with the act of 1868, 
which was still law, throws light on the purpose of the founders of the 
university. 

With respect to the course of study the act of 1868 provided that 
there should be taught in the proposed university, "in addition to the 
usual course of study prescribed in universities, the science and 
practice of agriculture, the mechanic arts, engineering." Note that 
agriculture and the industrial arts were to be added to the "usual 
course of study prescribed in universities." Evidently the founders 
were not proposing to found merely an agricultural and mechanical 
college. If further proof of this were necessary, the part of section 
eleven of the act of 1871 quoted above would afford it. It provides 
that from time to time additions may be made to the professorships, 
equipments, libraries and buildings, so as to make it a "first-class 
university." Here we probably have a key to the purpose of the 
founders, namely, that the institution should ultimately develop into 
a general university with all departments of the arts and sciences, 
both pure and applied. Whether they had such an institution in mind, 
they certainly framed an act sufficiently broad to base such a 
university upon. Either view of the case is creditable to the framers. 
The higher educational needs of all important classes of society should 
be provided for by a state. Whether it was wiser to supply these 
wants in one great university or in a number of separate technical 
and scientific schools for the different classes was in 1871 unsolved. 
Subsequent experience has shown that the concentration of these 
schools into one institution is better than segregation. On the side 
of concentration are economy, efficiency, stronger intellectual atmos- 



ORGANIC ACT OF THE UNIVERSITY. 55 

phere. and brc^adening- and democratizing influences. Segregation into 
a nnml)er of isolated schools means duplication of plants, teachers, 
and equipments, hence inefHciency ; it means accentuation of class 
prejudices in the industrial world and a lower plane of intellectual life. 
In the light of these facts the failure to give prominence to 
agriculture and mechanic arts in the act of 1871 is perhaps not 
censurable. If they had in mind the larger university, the interests 
of agriculture and technology w^ere protected. Ikit even if the failure 
to emphasize them was because the founders did not appreciate the 
great \-alue of the applied sciences as we do toda}-, it is still of no 
consequence, because they laid a sufificiently broad foundation for 
all interests to build upon. In fact, at that time only the few did 
appreciate the importance of agriculture and mechanic arts. These 
departments were weak in practically all American state universities 
in 1871. Three }-ears later in the University of Wisconsin there were 
no students in mechanic arts and only thirty-six in agriculture ; 
there were none in either department in the universities of Indiana. 
California, Minnesota, Alissouri, and Mississippi. The State had 
therefore started to build wisely. The university of today has no 
comi'laint to file against those who framed the organic act. The}' did 
their work well. 



CHAPTER V. 



LOCATIOX AND ORGAXIZATIOX OF THE UNIVERSITY 



The organic act of 1871 created a board of trustees consisting 
of eleven members, the state superintendent of pubHc instruction, 
ex-officio president, and ten elective members, one from each iudicJal 
circuit to be elected by a joint meeting of the two houses of the 
legislature. The act passed the house about midnight of the 24th 
of March, 1871. In the afternoon of the following day, the last of the 
session, the house and senate met in joint session and elected the 
following as members of the board of trustees : John E. Bennett, 
:\I. A. Cohn, P. H. Young, A. S. Prather, H. C. C. Botefiihr, John X. 
Sarber, A. W. Bishop, E. J. Searle, H. A. ^lillen, and John 'Si. Clayton. 
Two of the trustees were members of the supreme bench, John E. 
Bennett and E. J. Searle ; another, A. \\'. Bishop, a graduate of Yale, 
had come to Arkansas as an officer of the federal army; another, 
John M. Clayton, was a planter and a brother of Powell Clayton, who 
had lately resigned the office of governor, to accept the position of 
United States senator. Thos. Smith, state superintendent, was 
chairman of the board. He had come to Little Rock in 1864 as 
a surgeon in the Union army. He was elected superintendent of 
public instruction in 1868 and served as such until 1873. In point 
of ability the board was above the average, though the men had 
no particular qualifications for the work of organizing and shaping 
the policy of a university. There was not an educational expert 
among them. The majority of them were in politics. In general it 
may be said that those in authority have never seen fit to place educa- 
tors on the board. Upon a whole men in politics either for themselves 
or for others have constituted too large an element in the personnel 
of the universit}' trustees. 

The Questiox of Locatiox Before the Board. 

The immediate problems before the board were the location of the 
university, the construction of the buildings, the organization of the 
institution, and the administration of the endowment. These were 



58 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

all vital questions, upon the wise solution of which the future of the 
university largeh^ depended. The first of these problems was the 
location of the institution. The organic act threw the question open 
to competitive bids and fixed the third Monday in September, 1871, 
as the date and the office of the superintendent of public instruction 
as the place for the board to meet for the purpose of examining- 
the bids and determining the location. Counties and towns were 
authorized to vote bonds and offer them as a bonus for the location. 
In keeping with the requirements of the act the board met at Little 
Rock, September 18, 1871, all members being present. The trustees 
elected j\I. A. Cohn, secretary, and created a committee to which the}- 
referred the bids for the location with instructions to report thereon 
at an early hour. Accordingly, at an adjourned meeting in the after- 
noon the committee reported the classification of the bids. It found 
that A\"ashington County had voted one hundred thousand dollars in 
thirty year bonds, bearing eight per cent, interest for the location 
anywhere in the county, that the town of Fa3^etteville in said county 
iiad oft'ered thirty thousand dollars in eight per cent, thirty year bonds 
for the location within the town ; that in addition, three citizens had 
off'ered lands conditioned upon the location of the university anywhere 
in the county, namely, David Walker 280 acres, Lafayette Gregg 120 
acres and William A. Britton 20 acres, and that in addition the 
people of Prairie Grove A'alley in Washington County oft'ered for the 
location within said valley 866 acres df land and $7,350 in interest- 
bearing notes. They furthermore reported that the city of Batesville 
had voted $50,000 to secure the location of the university. S. H. 
Nieman of Pulaski County oft'ered one hundred and sixty acres three 
miles west of Jackson Springs. 

Committee A'isits Fayetteville and Batesville. 

Upon hearing the report of the committee the board fixed the 
location of the university as a special order for the next day. A 
second committee consisting of the two members of the supreme 
court and of Mr. Clayton was constituted to report "the nature and 
legality of the bids, as well as the solvency of the bidders." At a 
meeting of the board the following day the committee reported. Its 
findings were that the forms of law had been complied with in the 



LOCATION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSITY. 59 

\\'asliiiii;"ton County bid, that there were perhaps some irregularities 
in the l)id of the town of Fayetteville, that, as to the solvency of the 
private parties making donations, the committee had no means of 
knowing, and that with respect to the bid of $30,000 by Batesville 
the committee did not find the forms of law sufficiently complied with 
to establish the validity or solvency of the donation. In conclusion 
the committee was of opinion that a personal visit to Washington 
and Independence counties was necessar}^ to furnish the trustees with 
sufiicient information for them to act intelligently, and therefore 
recommended the appointment of a committee charged with the dutv 
of visiting these counties, of ascertaining more accurately the solvency 
of bidders, the full status of all bids, and of reporting their findings 
to the board. The recommendation was adopted and trustees Searle, 
Ilennett and Bishop were appointed to perform this duty. A stronger 
committee could not have been selected, composed as it was of two 
members of the supreme court and a federal general who later became 
president of the universit}'. 

The board also took an important step looking toward the proper 
organization of the institution. By invitation a man styled General 
Brayman. presumably experienced in educational afl:'airs, addressed 
the trustees on the Agricultural College of Illinois. Probably growing 
out of this address the board constituted Milieu. Young and Sarber 
a committee to visit Illinois and Michigan, to investigate the workings 
of their agricultural colleges, and to report back such information 
as would assist the trustees here in working out the problems before 
them. The board then adjourned to meet at the same place October 
12 to hear reports from its committees. 

Report of the Committee on Location. — The board con\ened again 
on October 12 to hear the reports of the committees, but, as there was 
not a quorum present, it adjourned from day to day until October 16 
when all members were present except Trustees Sarber and Milieu. 
The committee to visit Washington and Independence counties made 
their report. They were gratified at the heartiness of their reception at 
both places. At Batesville they found that the county records showed 
that on the first Monday in July, 1871. the county court had ordered an 
election to decide wdiether the county court should subscribe $100,000 
in bonds for the location of the universitv. Accordinsflv an election 



60 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

was held in fourteen out of seventeen precincts, at which election, of 
the 590 votes cast, 428 were against and 162 for the subscription. The 
records of the town of Batesville showed that on July 13, upon the 
basis of a petition that the town subscribe $40,000 for the location, 
the town council ordered the submission to the voters of the 
proposition of a bid of $50,000. At the election held August 7, the 
vote stood 90 for and none against the proposed bid. The forms of 
law had been fully complied with. The committee was favorably 
impressed with the climate, the timber, the quarries of sandstone, 
limestone and marble, and with the citizenship. Batesville was a 
growing town with a population of some 1,100 thrifty citizens and 
would be able to pay off the bonds. The people were intelligent and 
appreciative friends of the cause of education. They knew the value 
of the university. Besides the bid of $50,000 by the town, beautiful 
sites for the institution and private subscriptions in land and money 
amounting to some $19,000 were offered free of cost to the board. 

After an examination of the situation at Batesville the committee 
proceeded to Fayetteville, where they were given a hearty reception 
at the court house, to which tickets had previously been issued by the 
mayor. At this meeting Professor Morgan H. Looney, a high school 
man of local celebrity, in an eloquent address of welcome urged 
upon the committee the claims of Washington County. A favorable 
impression seems to have been made, as each committeeman replied 
publicl}'' and frankly acknowledged the merit of the claims of the 
county. General Bishop even went so far as to say that the prospects 
of the county and town were good. 

The members of the committee found that on the first Monday 
in July the Washington County court, upon the basis of a legal 
petition, had offered a bid of $100,000 in county bonds payable in 
thirty years with semi-annual interest at eight per cent, conditioned 
upon the location of the university. This proposition was submitted 
to the people of the county on the first Monday in August and was 
carried by a majority of some 90 votes. The county records were 
correct and all legal forms had been observed. The county was out 
of debt, had an assessed real estate valuation of $2,344,622, and was 
amply able to pay off the bonds. In addition to the county's bid, 
the town of Fayetteville and the Prairie Grove Valley, both within 



LOCATION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSITY. 61 

A\'ashington County, had each made a subscription conditioned upon 
the location of the university within their respective borders. The 
subscription of $30,000 b}' Fayetteville took the form of thirty year 
eight per cent bonds regularly voted by the electors, only two votes 
having- been cast against the proposition. The town had a progressive 
population of some 1,500 inhabitants, was out of debt and could pay 
ofif the bonds with ease. The people of Prairie Grove Valley, some 
thirteen miles southwest of Fayetteville, were alive to the importance 
of the university and while they had no corporate existence, so that 
they could issue bonds, nevertheless they made a subscription in 
lands and notes valued by the committee at $23,265 conditioned upon 
the location of the university in the valley. The committee found 
the county out of debt, unsurpassed for healthfulness, free from 
malaria, and having an abundance of good building material. With 
respect to accessibility they were not so enthusiastic. They reported 
that ]''ayette\ille being north of the Boston mountains was reached 
by a tedious trip by stage 55 miles from Van Buren and 165 miles 
from Lewisburg, near where Alorrilton now stands, then the terminus 
of the Little Rock and Fort Smith railroad. Steamboats ran up the 
river as far as Van Buren and it was supposed that the railroad would 
be completed to that place within a year. It is noteworthy that the 
committee returned to Little Rock by St. Louis. In going that 
way the members enjoyed the privileges of a railroad all the way 
except a stage trip of 50 miles from Fayetteville to Neosho, Missouri. 
The committee expressed no choice between Prairie Grove and 
Fayetteville, but instead advised, if Washington County should be 
selected as the location, that the two competing- communities in the 
county be allowed to work out their bids and that later investigations 
determine as between them the exact location. The report of the 
committee was received and filed. 

Washington Count}- Chosen. — On the following day Judge Bennett 
offered the following- resolution : 

"Whereas, The county of A\^ashington, State of Arkansas, has, in 
due form of law, agreed to issue $100,000 in thirty-vear bonds of said 
county, for the benefit of the State Industrial L'ni\-ersit}', and that we 
as a board ha\'e assurances of a tangible nature that we shall receive 



62 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



from $25,000 to $30,000 more either in Fayetteville bonds or personal 
security ; therefore be it 

'^Resolved, That the bid of Washing-ton County, Arkansas, in bonds, 
and the bid of Fayetteville, within said county, together with all the 
subscription and donation made by private individuals, is hereby 
accepted as a consideration in part for the locating of the Arkansas 
Industrial University within Washington County, Arkansas, 

"Rcsoh'cd. That the Arkansas Industrial University be and the 
same is hereby permanently located within the limits of Washington 
County, Arkansas." 

Trustee Cohn offered as a substitute for the above, a resolution 
proposing to locate the university at Batesville, reciting as reasons 
therefor the bid of the town, the price of building materials, and the 
accessibility of the place. On motion of Judge Searle the final vote 
on the location was postponed until the afternoon. Upon reassembling, 
after the transaction of other business, the question of location was 
taken up and discussed at length. On Trustee Cohn's substitute 
motion the vote stood: Yes, Cohn and Young — 2. No, Bennett, 
Prather, Botefuhr, Bishop, Searle and Clayton — 6. Absent — Sarber 
and Millen. The vote then recurred upon the original resolution of 
Judge Bennett to locate the university in Washington County. It 
"was unanimously adopted, all the trustees present voting in the 
affirmative." "Whereupon," continues the minutes of the board, 
"it was declared and ordered that the Arkansas Industrial University 
be permanently located in the county of Washington." At the same 
meeting of the board that fixed the location, a committee on grounds 
and buildings was created and charged with important duties. Besides 
being empowered to decide upon all plans and proposals for the 
exchange, repair or improvement of buildings, the committee was 
given "the power to secure a favorable site within the county 
designated for location, and to procure all necessary buildings, by 
rent or otherwise, in order to get the university into operation within 
the time provided by law." 

Fayetteville Secures the Location. — In Washington County there 
were two rival communities competing for the location. Their bids 
were not far apart, that of the town of Fayetteville being $30,000 in 



LOCATION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSITY. 63 



bonds and that of Prairie Grove Valley some $23,000 in notes and 
lands. The Fayetteville Democrat was urging- upon Fayetteville the 
importance nf bestirring herself, else Prairie Grove might capture the 
prize, reminding the people that when "(ireek meets (ireek. then 
comes the tug of war." 

On September 2 there w^as a well attended meeting df the citizens 
of Prairie Grove Valley at Viney Grove for the purpose of taking- 
steps to secure the location of the university in that valley. Resolutions 
were adopted inviting the committee of the board to visit the valley 
and calling their attention to its fertility, healthfulness. i)roximity to 
the center of the county, adaptability for an agricultural college, and 
its being on the highway of travel between the north and the south. 
The meeting appointed a committee of citizens and instructed them 
to convey the invitation of the citizens to the commissioners to \isit 
the valley after they had been "wined, dined, toasted, and bored 
generall}' on the subject of the fertilization ()f the insipid soils'' of 
h'ayetteville. They were further charged with the duty of presenting 
to the committee the "title papers, evidences, and securities of 
donations gi\'en by our citizens." 

At a meeting of the board held at Little Rock Januar\- 17, 1872, 
this committee made its first report. For the purpose of selecting 
a location and of procuring the necessary lands for university purposes 
the committee met at Fayettex'ille and began its in\-estigations 
November 11, 1871. The members went over all available sites 
in and about I^^ayetteville and Prairie Grove. They called to their 
assistance a lawyer to examine the legal status of bids of Prairie 
Grove. They found that practically all of the bids of Prairie and 
\'iney Groves were irregular and could not have been collected by 
law, though they were of opinion that the good faith of the donors 
would probably have made m^ost of them good. However, they found 
themselves unanimous in the opinion that Fayetteville was decidedly 
the most desirable place in the county for the uni\crsity. The 
ccmimittee deli^'ered to cit}' officials for record the choice of 
Fayetteville November 15. In arriving at this conclusion and in 
a choice of a site among the many around Fayetteville, the committee 
seems to have been controlled by patriotic considerations. Their 
own language in the report is, "Your committee ne\er lost sight of 



64 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



the fact that the university location and buildings were not to be 
of a temporary but of the most permanent nature, and if possible 
is to reflect the good judgment and taste as well as foresight of this 
board of trustees, and to be a credit to all concerned in the organization 
of the institution." Guided by this idea the committee selected the 
magnificent homestead of William Mcllroy about a mile northwest 
of the square, "a location superior to all the rest we have seen and 
second to none in the State of Arkansas." Subsequent experience 
attests the wisdom of the committee in the choice of a site. Probably 
more beautiful grounds could not have been found. It combined 
elevation, ample room for expansion and magnificent scenery. The 
site commands a good view of the town and surrounding country. 
It is 1,452 feet above the sea. The site cost $12,000, the citizens of 
the town assuming $1,000 of this amount. 

Little Interest in the Location. 

With respect to the location of the university there was compara- 
tively little general interest throughout the State. The conditions 
somewhat explain this fact. The Republicans were in control of the 
state government, whereas the great mass of the people were 
Democrats. The reconstruction government was unpopular and in 
the public mind stood for tyranny and oppression. Unfortunately 
the university proposition was regarded as a child of this government 
and shared more or less its unpopularity. Partisan feeling ran high 
and in some cases so sharp that Democrats would have nothing to do 
with the university. Then too the people were in poverty and many 
counties and some towns had been run deeply into debt by the new 
regime for railroad and other bonds. Hence the small interest in the 
university location. Even in Washington County there was but little 
interest and the vote was small. But little appeared in the local 
papers about the matter. Judge Lafayette Gregg, a member of the 
supreme court, is largely responsible for the interest of the people of 
Fayetteville. Upon the basis of petitions the county court and the 
town council issued the orders submitting- the proposition to the 
voters of the county and town. There was some opposition. Many 
friends of Cane Hill College feared that the university located in the 
county would overshadow that institution and ultimately kill it. For 



LOCATION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSITY. 65 



tliat reason Cane Hill and friends of the college for the most part 
opposed the proposition. In passing it might be said that their fear 
was well founded. The university did kill the college. 

Another source of opposition was a prejudice against involving 
the county in debt. Finally some feared that the negro would be 
admitted to the institution on equal terms with the whites. The 
orators speaking for the location were told if they would guarantee 
against the admission of negroes the bonds would be voted. If the 
fear that the negro would be admitted had been general, the proposi- 
tion to vote bonds would have been overwhelmingly defeated. Some 
of the leading citizens of Fayetteville took it upon themselves to 
can\'ass the county on behalf of the bond issue the last of July, the 
week before the election. The more conspicuous of these speakers 
were Judge David Walker, later a member of the supreme court ; 
J. D. Walker, later a United States senator; A. M. Wilson, a local 
attorney of prominence; T. M. Gunter, later a member of the lower 
house of Congress ; L. W. Gregg, a member of the supreme court ; 
M. Looney, a local orator and teacher, and C. W. Walker, an attorney. 
Twelve appointments were made in different parts of the county. 
Hie Fayetteville Democrat of August 5th contained a short appeal to 
the people to vote for the bonds. A week later the traditional rooster 
appeared at the head of the paper, announcing the victory. It 
reported that the county bonds had been voted by a majority of 
ninety and tliat in the town of Fayetteville only two votes were cast 
against the proposition. The paper was also enthusiastic over the 
growth in population, the establishment of new industries and the 
building of railroads that would come in the wake of the university. 

Washington County an Educational Center. 

It is rather remarkable that a mountain county with a compara- 
tively poor population should have won in the contest for the location. 
This is probably due to historic causes. The county from an early 
date and especially the town of Fayetteville had taken the lead in 
educational matters. It will be remembered that the public school 
census of 1860 shows that of the 652 common schools in Arkansas, 57 
were in Washington County, almost one-tenth. For the same year 



66 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Independence reported 21, Pulaski 13, Jefferson 12, and Sebastian 21. 
For private academies and colleges it was no less noted. In the 
forties Miss Sawyer, a missionary to the Cherokees, conducted a 
school for girls at Fayetteville. To this school a woman's missionary 
society of Boston sent in 1846-47 as a teacher, a Miss James, directly 
from New York but indirectly from England, who later married 
Rev. A. J. Marshall, a Methodist preacher at Fayetteville, and who 
in her autobiography, gives us an interesting account of the social, 
religious and educational conditions of Arkansas from 1847 to the 
Civil War. Miss Sawyer had won the confidence of Chief John Ross 
and other leading Indians and at their request established a female 
school at Fayetteville where they could educate their daughters 
among the whites. Young ladies of the town and county attended 
the school. Mrs. Marshall says, "she (Miss Sawyer) created an 
educational interest, to which the locating the Industrial University 
there is largely due." She was a woman of character, energy and 
will. 

Miss James assisted her for a year or so, and in 1848 established 
a female seminary at Mt. Comfort three miles north of Fayetteville. 
The Ozark Institute at Mt. Comfort for a number of years prior to 
the war was a strong school, and some of the strong men of the State 
were educated there. Cane Hill College was organized in December, 
1852, and had a career of usefulness. While the war caused its 
suspension, the college resumed operation after the war. Some of 
the prominent men connected with its faculty were Robert King, 
F. R. Earle, James Mitchell, and J. P. Carnahan. But the most noted 
institution of learning in Washington County was Arkansas College 
founded at Fayetteville by Robert Graham in December, 1852. This 
institution did a high grade of work and deservedly enjoyed a wide 
reputation, drawing students from all over Arkansas and the 
surrounding states. Robert Graham at its head was a man of strong 
personality and succeeded in arousing great enthusiasm for the 
school. The Civil War brought this worthy school to a close, its 
president becoming a refugee in 1862, leaving the State with nothing 
but his saddle bags and a change of linen. 

These schools toned up the county intellectually, raised the 
standard of culture, especially at Fayetteville and Cane Hill, caused 



LOCATION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSITY. 67 

the people to appreciate the value of good schools and prepared the 
way for a favorable reception of the university proposition. Moreover 
it is also true that the older communities of Cane Hill and Fayetteville 
were settled by an unusually strong class of people. When the 
question of the location of the university came up, Fayetteville had 
some of the strongest men of the State : Lafayette Gregg, associate 
justice of the supreme court; David Walker, who had previously 
been and later became a member of the supreme court ; J. D. Walker, 
who in 1879 went to the United States senate ; T. M. Gunter, later a 
member of Congress and A. M. Wilson, a prominent attorney and 
subsequently appointed by President Cleveland a member of the 
Dawes commission. At the time of the location Fayetteville had an 
excellent academy under the brilliant, though erratic leadership of 
Morgan H. Looney. These facts help to explain the bids by 
Washington Count}^ and Fayetteville. 

Fayetteville at this time had a population of 1,500, real estate 
assessed at $632,000 and no indebtedness. It had a picturesque 
elevation of some 1,500 feet above the sea. It was the county seat 
of Washington County. There were two banks, and it was the center 
of an active trade. It had two or three churches. It was 50 miles 
from Neosho, Mo., the terminus of the Southern Pacific. A daily 
line of four horse coaches ran from Neosho to Fort Smith via Fayette- 
ville, giving it a daily mail. 

Pulaski County Fails. 

Besides Batesville and Fayetteville there were a few other places 
that made efforts to bid for the location. The matter was discussed 
in White and Pope counties, but nothing came of it in either case. 
In Pulaski the movement reached larger proportions. On May the 
18th M. W. Benjamin had a communication before the city council 
asking that a proposition be submitted to the electors to vote $100,000 
in bonds for the location of the agricultural college. The county 
court upon a petition signed by about a hundred citizens headed 
by Governor O. A. Hadley ordered an election August 7th on the 
question of the county issuing $150,000 in bonds, provided that the 



68 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

university be located within three miles of Little Rock. The city 
itself through its council submitted to the voters a bond issue of 
$50,000. 

There was, however, decided opposition to the scheme. A 
"merchant" writing for the July 12 issue of the Gazette opposed the 
proposed subscription by the county and city of $200,000. He was 
of opinion that we should first lay the foundation by establishing 
good common schools, that it was criminal in our leaders to be urging 
this scheme before we had good elementary schools. He spoke of 
one planter whose school tax was $1,200, but who had no school 
house in his neighborhood. He was suspicious; he insisted that the 
university was alread}^ sufficiently endowed, that the bond proposition 
was a swindle and that nobody would be benefited save half a 
dozen bond sharks. Instead of voting the bonds he thought we 
should threaten repudiation to those whose pockets were already 
lined with railroad bonds. He called attention to the fact that work 
had not begun on the roads notwithstanding the large bond issues, 
that the people had paid their school taxes in greenbacks, yet the 
teachers' warrants were hawked about the streets and cross roads at 
sixty cents on the dollar ; the university bonds would sell for about 
that much. He was also afraid that the trustees would pay a ring of 
speculators a hundred times the value of the university site. 

"Pro Bono Publico" two days later answers the merchant by 
insisting that the question of common schools has no relation to the 
vmiversity proposition, that the university is to be located and that the 
question is where. He felt that the law provided sufificient safeguards 
against fraud. "A plain farmer" also opposed the issue of bonds, 
because the county and city together were in debt about v$700,000 
in the form of railroad bonds and outstanding debts. The paper of 
county and city was away below par. The result of the election 
showed that the enemies had the advantage. As reported in the 
Gazette the vote in the city alone stood 46 for and 222 against, while 
in the county at large including the city it stood 78 for and 756 
against the bond issue. The Morning Repuhlican explains it by saying 
that there was a general apathy on the question ; while the Gazette 
charges it to the radical election laws. It says that many citizens were 
disfranchised, that others had become of age since the registration, 



LOCATION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSITY. 69 

that some were absent when registration took place, and that still 
others had moved there since registration. While the people were 
voting on the university proposition the Gacctte carried advertisements 
of the University of Louisiana, the Kentucky University and the 
University of Nashville. 

Doubtless the large vote polled in the county against the university 
bond issue is in part due to the objections made by "farmer" and 
"merchant," namely, the bad condition of the town and county 
financially. They had suffered worse under reconstruction rule than 
had Washington County. At the same time other factors probably 
enter to explain the vote. Little Rock had never had the schools that 
Fayetteville and Batesville had had. The community was probably 
not as appreciative of the value of a university as were Batesville and 
Fayetteville. 

Organization of the University. 

At the first meeting of the board of trustees of the universit3% two 
important questions came up for consideration — the location and the 
organization of the institution. The history of the location has already 
been traced. With respect to the second question, that of organization, 
the board wisely deferred passing on questions of policy until they had 
more information. Accordingly they appointed a committee consisting 
of Trustees H. A. Millen, P. H. Young and J. N. Sarber, and instructed 
them to visit the agricultural colleges of Illinois and Michigan, to 
investigate the organization, management and discipline of the same 
and to secure architectural plans, specifications and such other facts 
as might benefit the board in organizing the University of Arkansas, 
called Arkansas Industrial University until 1899. At an adjourned 
meeting held at Little Rock October 14, this committee reported. 
From both institutions valuable suggestions were received, but the 
breadth and scope of the University of Illinois (it was planning to 
develop departments in all fields of human knowledge) made a strong- 
impression upon the committee, in fact that institution influenced the 
policy of the board in a marked degree. 

The committee furthermore submitted the plans and specifications 
of the main building at Illinois and advised their adoption. This 
recommendation was finally carried out and the main building at 



70 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Fayetteville is a duplicate of the corresponding building at Urbana. 
The plan for dormitories at Illinois, separate and apart from the main 
building, also appealed to the committee. The essential feature of 
the plan consisted in the erection, as the needs of the university 
required, of separate buildings, each capable of accommodating sixteen 
students and to cost approximately $800. It was urged that the 
plan was economical and would afford greater security to life and 
property. This plan was never carried out either in Illinois or in 
Arkansas. On the basis of their observations at Urbana the committee 
advised a farm of 160 acres, exclusive of university grounds proper. 
They further advised the adoption of the Illinois plan of discipline, 
namely, that of self-government, and its system of voluntary student 
labor rather than that of compulsion. The co-education of the sexes 
as practiced at Urbana was recommended. All of these suggestions 
were adopted. 

Committees. — At the same meeting at which this report was 
received the board created two committees (executive, and grounds 
and buildings), to each of which was assigned important duties. The 
committee on grounds and buildings, consisting of A. S. Prather, John 
E. Bennett, and M. A. Cohn, was charged with the duty of selecting and 
securing a site in Washington County, and to rent, or purchase or erect 
the necessary buildings so as to enable the university to open within 
the time prescribed by Congress. If buildings were to be constructed, 
the committee should let the contracts by competitive bids. To the 
executive committee, consisting of E. J. Searle, P. H. Young, and 
John M. Clayton, was given the general power to act in the absence 
of the board and to exercise all powers not intrusted to other 
committees. They were especially charged with the duty of 
organizing the university, of providing for the several departments, 
of selecting teachers, of fixing salaries, and of equipping the institution 
for operation. The committees had only about four months within 
which time to open the university in order to secure the benefits of 
the land grant act. The exact time limit was February 12, 1872. As 
has been noted the committee selected as the site the farm of William 
Mcllroy at Fayetteville. The estate consisted of 160 acres, sixty-five 
of which were under cultivation, an orchard of four acres, a frame 
residence of six rooms, and a number of indifferent outbuildings. At 



LOCATION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSITY, 71 

the rec|nest of the executive committee the building committee had 
erected a two-story frame building, twenty-four by forty feet, capable 
of accommodating about one hundred and twenty students. The 
building cost $975 and was ready for occupancy January 1, 1872. 
Moreover the committee advertised for plans, specifications and 
estimates for the main building. The plans of Messrs. McKay and 
Helmle of Helena were recommended to the board as best adapted 
for the purpose of the university. The construction of the building 
provided for in the plans was not to exceed $120,000. But the delay 
in the issue of the land scrip under the Morrill act prevented an early 
construction of the main building. 

Buildings. — Meantime the executive committee had been active. 
The committee, at its first meeting at Fayetteville November 15, 1871, 
fixed the 22d of January, 1872, the fourth Monday of the month, as 
the date for the opening of the university. Indeed, this was almost 
as late as the members could have fixed, because, according to the 
act of Congress, the university must be in operation by February 12, 
1872, or Arkansas would forfeit her rights to the endowment under 
the land grant act. The committee found on the site erected for the 
university no buildings that might be used for school purposes except 
a six-room residence. They at once called upon the committee on 
grounds and buildings to remodel the residence and to erect a two- 
story frame structure suitable for temporary use as a school building 
and capable of being converted into dormitories. These buildings 
were completed and equipped with stoves, desks, seats, chairs, maps, 
charts, blackboards and globes at the date fixed for the opening. In 
June of 1872 the committee felt that the attendance required another 
building and they therefore called upon the building committee for 
the erection of another two-story frame structure for temporary school 
use, capable of conversion into dormitories. This request was complied 
with and by the opening of the university in the fall it was ready, 
having been constructed at a cost of $2,219. 

Finances. — To enable the board to organize the university the 
legislature in passing the organic act appropriated $50,000. The 
finances of the State were in a chaotic condition. Auditor's warrants 
and treasurer's certificates issued against this fund were sold at a 
discount ranging from 54 to 83 cents on the dollar. In 1871 no 



72 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

warrants were sold for less than 80 cents, while in March, 1872, they 
began to decline. By April they were selling- at 70 cents, by June 
at 60, and by December as low as 54 cents on the dollar. On the 
whole appropriation the board realized $35,000. Lack of funds 
embarrassed the trustees at almost every step. The nominal resources 
at their command were considerable. Secretary Cohn, in a letter to 
the commissioner of agriculture February 19, 1872, estimated the 
assets of the institution as follows : 

$100,000 of Washington County bonds estimated at 75 cents. .$75,000 

30,000 of Fayetteville bonds estimated at 85 cents 25,500 

400 acres of land at $5.00 per acre 2,000 

State appropriation $50,000 estimated at 85 cents 42,500 

Total $145,000 

In addition the university had rights to 150,000 acres of college 
land scrip, which had not been issued. As there was no market for 
them the board was compelled to hold the bonds of Washington 
County and Fayetteville in their possession until 1873. They were 
therefore for the first eighteen months dependent upon the state 
appropriations and fees from students to meet all bills. 

Aim and Purpose. — The executive committee, in their first report 
to the board, stated at some length the aim and purpose of the 
university. In this connection they quote from the Morrill act, "the 
leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical 
branches of learning and including military tactics, to teach such 
branches of learning as are related to agriculture and mechanic arts, 
in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial 
classes in the several pursuits and professions of life." The committee 
paraphrases this and declares the "chief aim of the university is the 
liberal and practical education of the industrial classes." With this 
in view the university is "to teach such branches of learning as are 
related to agriculture and mechanic arts, without excluding other 
scientific and classical studies and including military tactics." They 
therefore say that the university proposes (a) to teach the sciences 
and their applications to the arts of life ; (b) to conduct experiments 
in agriculture and horticulture ; (c) to provide instruction in military 



LOCATION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSITY. 73 



science ; (d) to afford daily manual labor; and (e) to provide tlic means 
of a f^eneral and thorough education not inferior to that offered in 
the best colleges. With these general principles for their guidance 
tlie cduimittee left the faculty to work out the details of the course 
of study. They seem to have felt that they had met the rec|uircments 
of the law and of this ])lan with respect to agriculture when provision 
was made for a dozen lectures a year on agriculture and horticultin^e 
by Dr. Thurston of Van Buren. The committee appreciated that the 
courses of study were elementary and incomplete, for they provided 
them "consonant with the incipient character of the institution." This, 
they say, will be remedied by the announcement of a more ambitious 
course in the next report. Respecting the normal department the 
committee are (juite willing to leave the preparation of the course of 
study to the faculty, after instructing them to prescribe a course 
equivalent to that of the best normal schools of the northwestern 
states. The board is reminded that stronger courses would have been 
provided if the land scrip had been issued. 

IJeneliciaries. — The government and discipline was turned over to 
the ])resident aided by the faculty; however, the executive committee 
retained supervisory jurisdiction. As if principal of the normal depart- 
ment, professor of mental and moral philosophy, and acting president 
were not enough for one man, the committee further place the 
university farm under the control of the president. The year was 
divided into three terms — autumn, winter and spring — of fourteen, 
thirteen and thirteen weeks' duration respectively. The vacation was 
to be in July and August, with a recess of one week between terms. 
The institution was thrown open to the education of men and women 
alike. The law left the control of scholarships or beneficiaries to the 
board. Through the executive committee the board provided for 219 
beneliciaries and distributed them among the counties in proportion to 
population. The manner of appointment was peculiar. The governor 
appointed ten, tlie superintendent of public instruction five, each- 
trustee four from his district and the circuit superintendent of public 
instruction the remainder. A beneficiary was appointed for four years. 
If he were not ready for college classes he might enter the preparatory 
department but the time spent there was deducted from his four years. 
A matriculation fee of $5.00 was imposed and in addition all non- 



74 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

beneficiaries and non-normals who were in the college department 
were required to pay a tuition fee in the college department of $10.00 
per term or $30.00 a year ; while if they were preparatory students 
^7.00 per term was charged. 

In the selection of beneficiaries the committee so far had required 
no further qualifications than moral character and "some proficiency 
in the ordinary branches of an English education." It was made the 
duty of the president to continue to notify appointing authorities until 
their quota had been filled. The committee acted generously in the 
allotment of beneficiaries to the counties, because they apprehended 
that comparativly few of those appointed in remote counties would 
attend for the first few years. The apprehension was verified, for up 
to the time of the report April, 1873, there were not to exceed sixty 
or seventy beneficiaries in all departments of the university. 

The executive committee found a preparatory department a 
necessity. Notwithstanding the low entrance requirements established 
for entrance to the normal and college departments, the educational 
facilities of but few localities would adequately prepare students for 
the freshman class. They, however, found in the department a useful 
professional agency. By permission of the committee President Gates, 
for the benefit of the normal department, used the preparatory 
department as a model school, requiring normal students to serve as 
cadet teachers. This was a wise course which the normal department 
of later years would have done well to have kept up. The course of 
study arranged for the preparatory department began with the first 
reader and the chart. In prescribing qualifications for entrance to the 
university the committee fixed seven years of age for the preparatory 
department, provided that no student under fourteen could be a 
beneficiary. For entrance to the normal department an age qualification 
of fourteen was required for females, of sixteen for males. Any 
resident of the State, whether a beneficiary or not, upon entering into 
a written obligation to teach two years in the public schools of 
Arkansas after completing the course, was allowed to enter the 
normal department without paying tuition. Student labor was made 
voluntary. No student was allowed to work over three hours a day 
except on Saturday. Compensation, ranging from five to fifteen cents 
an hour was to be determined by ability to work. 



.'^PftlBB 




PQ 



CHAPTER VI. 



ADMINISTRATION OF THE ENDOA\MENT. 



The organic act passed by the general assembly of Arkansas in 
1871 providing for the establishment of the university, made the state 
treasurer financial agent to receive from the general government the 
land scrip due to the State under the Morrill act of 1862. He was 
authorized to sell the scrip at the highest market price, or if more 
advantageous to the State, he might exchange the scrip for government 
bonds directly. This was to constitute the endowment of the university, 
the principal of which could never be reduced. In the discharge of the 
duties imposed upon him the treasurer was to act under the direction 
of the board of trustees of the universit3^ He was not permitted to 
sell scrip at a lower price nor to buy bonds at a higher price than the 
lioard should fix by resolution. 

Issue of L.vnd Scrip Held Up. 

The trustees were embarrassed in their efiforts to organize the 
university in 1871-72 on account of the refusal of the secretary of the 
interior to deliver the land scrip after Arkansas had complied with 
the conditions of the act of 1862. The reason assigned for this refusal 
was that Arkansas was in arrears with the Chickasaw Indian trust 
fund, and that it was the rule of the department not to issue the scrip 
in the case of states owing said fund. Among the securities held by 
the government in trust for the Indians were $90,000 of Arkansas 
state bonds (Nos. 11 to 100, inclusive, $1,000 each) issued to the old 
state bank in 1838. They were six per cent, bonds and Arkansas- had 
not paid the interest on them since July 1, 1842. They had matured 
January 1, 1868, and the request of the government for their redemp- 
tion was not heeded. The secretary of the interior therefore proposed 
to hold the agricultural college land scrip, to which Arkansas was 
entitled, until the State made satisfactory arrangement regarding this 
debt. The legal right of the secretary to make such a ruling may be 
doubted, but that the delinquency of the State justified extreme 
measures is certain. 



78 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

On October 18, 1871, the board directed the treasurer, Gen. A. W. 
Bishop, to make a full investigation into the status of the scrip, and 
in his report to recommend what steps were necessary in order to 
secure its early delivery. General Bishop proceeded to Washington, 
and, after a conference with the secretary of the interior, an agree- 
ment was effected by which the latter would deliver the scrip, when 
Arkansas refunded her bonds held by him in trust for the Indian trust 
fund, provided Congress would authorize him to receive the refunded 
bonds of the State. Accordingly a bill was drawn satisfactory to the 
secretary and sent to Senator Powell Clayton of Arkansas for intro- 
duction into the senate. The board sent a memorial to Congress 
asking for the passage of the bill, reciting that the State had complied 
with all requirements, that the bid for the location was conditioned 
on the issuance of the scrip and that further delay would be perilous 
to the institution. In the meantime James M. Hanks of Helena, 
Arkansas, a member of the house, introduced into that body another 
bill directing the issuance of the scrip without reference to the payment 
of Arkansas indebtedness to the Indian trust fund. This bill passed 
the house late in the session. In the senate, after an animated 
discussion it was amended so as to provide that the scrip should not 
be delivered to the authorities of Arkansas until the State made some 
satisfactory arrangement by which the bonds of the State held by the 
government should be refunded. Senator Clayton, in the discussions, 
assured the senate that the State would not hesitate to comply with 
the condition of reissuing the bonds. With this amendment the bill 
passed the senate the day of adjournment, and through the efforts of 
Mr. Hanks the concurrence of the house was secured at the last 
moment. The measure was approved December 13, 1872. In accord- 
ance with this act the secretary of the interior received from Arkansas 
May 31, 1873, in exchange for the matured bonds named above, 
refunded bonds (Nos. 2099 to 2188, inclusive, of $1,000 each) bearing 
six per cent, interest. Additional bonds were received in lieu of inter- 
est due on the matured bonds from July 1, 1842, to January 1, 1874. 

When the board met again March 16, 1872, the bill referred to 
above was still pending, and owing to this fact and financial difficulties 
confronting them, the trustees directed the building committee to 
proceed no further with the construction of permanent buildings and 



ADMINISTRATION OF THE ENDOWMENT. 79 

instructed General Bishop, the treasurer, to write a letter to the 
secretary of the interior and each member of Congress, setting forth 
the embarrassment of the university caused by the failure to issue the 
scrip. The letter recited the financial difficulties of the university, 
called their attention to the fact that the bonds of Fayetteville and 
Washington County could not be sold to advantage so long as there 
was any question regarding the land scrip, and added that so far as 
the State was concerned every condition had been met, the last being 
the formal opening of the university. 

The Board Sells the Land Scrip. 

After the passage by Congress of the proposed bill, the board again 
through the state treasurer applied for the scrip, but technicalities 
and evasions were still the order of the day, and the scrip was not 
issued. The patience of the board was about exhavisted. But before 
this the state treasurer, financial agent of the State in the adminis- 
tration of the university fund, had received two bids for the land 
scrip. On August 22, 1872, the board met at Little Rock to consider 
the bids. One was from a California firm offering 95 cents per acre 
for the scrip, the State at its own expense to secure the issue and 
delivery of the same. The other was from an Ohio company of 
Cleveland. Its representative, INIr. G. F. Lewis, offered the board 
90 cents per acre for the entire lot of 150,000 acres, and proposed to 
secure at its own expense an early delivery of the scrip, to guarantee 
such delivery without further expense or trouble to the board, and in 
three months after the issue of said scrip to pay $50,000 and within 
twelve months to settle in full for the entire amount. 

The board authorized the state treasurer to accept the second bid 
and to invest the proceeds in United States bonds at the market price 
on the day of purchase. At this point the secretary gives a lengthy 
explanation of why the board accepted the proposition of the Ohio 
company. In doing so he recited the history of the eft'orts of the 
board to secure the scrip, namely, the application to the secretary of 
the interior therefor by the state treasurer, General Bishop's special 
trip to Washington, the introduction and passage* through Congress 



*As a matter of fact the bill did not become a law until December 13, 1872, 
almost four months after the sale of the scrip. 



80 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

of a bill directing the secretary of the interior to accept from the State 
new bonds for the debt to the Indian trust fund, and thereupon to 
issue the said college scrip to which the State was entitled. Still, he 
says, the scrip was not issued nor did the board have any assurance 
that efiforts in the future would avail more than those in the past. 
Moreover, the board was in sore need of money. Besides, they had 
more faith in the efforts of Mr. Lewis to secure the scrip than in their 
own. On this point the secretary said : "The success of said Mr. G. F. 
Lewis in the matter of securing the issue of said scrip seemed the 
more plausible, he being well acquainted and from the same state with 
the honorable secretary of the interior." 

At the same time there was pending a bill in Congress proposing 
to give to the states for their agricultural colleges another land grant. 
Its passage would bring so much land into the market as to run the 
price down. With the facts as they were it is doubtful if the board 
could have done better. If the State had been able to appropriate for 
all the immediate needs of the university, the lands could have been 
held, located and doubtless sold to much better advantage. For 
instance, the auditor's warrants issued to the board to cover the 
appropriation of $50,000 made for the university by the organic act 
of 1871, were sold from 54 to 80 cents on the dollar. At the time of 
the land scrip sale the board had to its credit a small amount of this 
appropriation on which it was then realizing 60 cents on the dollar. 
For the whole $50,000 appropriation the board received about $35,000 
in currency. The calculations of the board that Mr. Lewis would 
probably be able to secure the land scrip proved correct. Soon after 
the sale the scrip was delivered and the board's immediate embarrass- 
ment was relieved. Just what influence Mr. Lewis and the Ohio 
company brought to bear upon the secretary of the interior is not 
known. The board used some ten or eleven thousand dollars of 
the money derived from this sale for the purchase of the site and 
experiment farm. 

Investment of the Endowment. 

On January 25, 1873, the board again took up the question of 
investing the proceeds of the land scrip sale and instructed the state 
treasurer to invest in United States bonds. The state treasurer under 



ADMINISTRATION OF THE ENDOWMENT. 81 



the direction of the board of trustees was charged with the duty of 
investing- the endowment, that is, the proceeds of the sale of the land 
scrip. The organic act of 1871 required the investment to be made in 
United States bonds. On August 22, 1872, the date on which they 
instructed the state treasurer to sell the land scrip to the Ohio Land 
Company, the trustees also directed him to invest the proceeds in 
government bonds at the market value on the day of purchase. A few 
months later they were in a different frame of mind. They were 
considering the bonds of Fayetteville and Washington County as an 
investment. The day after the vote locating the university in Wash- 
ington County the board instructed Mr. Bishop, the treasurer, to take 
the necessary steps to obtain the bonds of the county and such other 
securities as the board was entitled to in consideration of the location. 
He was also directed to offer for sale in accordance with the law the 
bonds at 90 cents on the dollar, and if not sold at that price, to re-offer 
them at 75 cents. In any case he was not allowed to dispose of over 
$10,000 worth of them until the next meeting of the board. Accord- 
ingly the treasurer applied for and secured the bonds of Washington 
County the following December. 

Fayetteville, however, was not in a hurry about issuing and 
delivering her securities. He advertised the bonds in Fayetteville, 
but apparently there were no bidders. The bonds were not placed in 
the east because the treasurer was advised that there was no market 
for them. At a meeting of the board held January 21, 1873, the 
treasurer reported that neither Washington County nor Fayetteville 
had paid the interest due on their bonds and that the town had refused 
to turn over to him its bonds, assigning as a reason that they were 
safer in the hands of the council than they would be in the hands of 
the trustees. Whereupon the board instructed the secretary to notify 
the town council and the county court that the bonds of Fayetteville 
must within thirty da3^s be placed in the hands of the treasurer of 
the university and that both county and town must at once make 
provisions for the payment of the interest on their respective bonds. 
The resolution accomplished its object. Fayetteville delivered her 
bonds and both county and town voted the tax to pay the interest. 

On the 24th of January, 1873, the board of trustees framed and 



82 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

sent to John M. Clayton, one of their number who was in the state 
senate, a bill giving the board more liberty in the investment of the 
funds. The bill became a law March 13, 1873. It authorized the 
state treasurer as financial agent under the direction of the board 
to dispose of the land scrip on the best possible terms and to invest 
the proceeds of said sale either in United States bonds, or if it was 
thought best, in the bonds of the town of Fayetteville and the county 
of Washington issued to secure the location of the university. Yet 
the day after the board had sent this bill to Mr. Clayton they again 
instructed the state treasurer to invest the proceeds of the land scrip 
sale as fast as they were received in government bonds. The two 
acts were not contradictory. If they in January had decided to invest 
the endowment in the bonds of Fayetteville and Washington County, 
if the legislature passed the bill, they could on short notice convert 
the government bonds into cash. About a month after the passage 
of this law the board decided that the bonds of Fayetteville and 
Washington County were good and safe securities in which to invest 
the endowment fund. A resolution was accordingly passed instructing 
the state treasurer to set apart these bonds ($130,000) then in his 
possession unsold as a part of the permanent endowment of the 
institution and to place subject to the order of the board for building- 
purposes so much of the proceeds of the land scrip sales as would 
be taken up at 93\/., cents on the dollar. This transaction absorbed 
$121,333.33 of the $135,000 realized from the sale of the college land 
scrip and thus made that amount at once available for building 
purposes. 

The transaction was wise financiering. The board could not have 
realized as much if they had thrown the bonds on the market, nor 
would thev have recei\ed as good a rate of interest had the}^ invested 
the endowment in United States bonds as they had originally planned. 
The transaction therefore made the endowment more productive and 
the building fund larger than could have been secured in any other 
way. Of the $135,000 received from land scrip the building site 
absorbed $11,000 and the bonds of Washington County and Fayette- 
ville $121,333.33, leaving a balance of the land grant fund of $2,666.66, 
which apparently" was applied on current expenses or on the building. 
The act of 1862 authorized the use of ten per cent, of the proceeds of 



ADMINISTRATION OF THE ENDOWMENT. 83 

the sale of the college land scrip for the purchase of an experiment 
farm and a building- site. This provision made $13,500 available for 
such a purpose. But the site cost the State only $11,000. It appears 
therefore that some $2,666.66, which legally belonged to the endow- 
ment, was applied on building or current expenses. Why the board, 
when they invested the land scrip money in the bonds of Washington 
County and Fayetteville, did not fix the price of the bonds at such 
a rate as to absorb all of the endowment fund left over after paying 
for the site, is not easy to explain. The only effect would have been 
to increase the building fund by $2,666.66. 

However, the legal right of the board to invest the endowment 
funds in the bonds of Washington County and Fayetteville at a rate 
fixed at their discretion was raised. It was made the subject of 
special inquiry through a committee consisting of Judge Searle and 
Mr. Bishop. The specific question was this : "Can the board of 
trustees legally order the investment of the proceeds of the sale of 
the agricultural college land scrip in the Washington County and 
Fayetteville bonds, estimating in such investment the value of the 
bonds at any figure the board may think proper and best, even though 
the value fixed might be greater than what the bonds would bring 
if placed upon the market for sale?" The recent act of the general 
assembly which amended the organic act of the university authorized 
the investment of the endowment in Fayetteville and Washington 
County bonds "upon the best practicable terms." Did this language 
require the purchase of the bonds at their lowest market value? The 
committee decided in the negative. They reasoned that as both 
funds belonged to the university, one for building purposes and the 
other for productive endowment, there was no second party in 
interest, and that the board was at liberty to invest the proceeds of 
the college land scrip in the bonds at such rate as would best conserve 
the interest of both the endowment and the building fund. They 
reasoned that the interest of the university required the sale of the 
bonds, whose proceeds the law directed should be applied to buildings, 
at such a price as to yield the largest possible building fund, and that 
the proceeds of the land scrip, which the law set apart as permanent 
endowment, should be invested so as to yield th^ largest possible 
annual income. The board claimed that the conversion of one fund 



84 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

into the other accomplished both purposes. If the Fayetteville and 
Washington County bonds had been thrown upon the market, they 
probably would have yielded much less than 93^/3 cents on the dollar. 
On October 18, 1871, the board authorized the sale of $10,000 worth 
of the bonds at 75 cents. They were not sold at that price. In a 
letter to the commissioner of agriculture dated February 19, 1872, 
the secretary of the board in estimating the assets of the university 
placed the bonds of Washington County at 75 cents and those of 
Fayetteville at 85 cents on the dollar. Moreover if the land scrip 
money had been invested in United States bonds, the endowment of 
the university would not have yielded over half as much. 

The University Before the Courts. 
The university collected regularly without event the interest on 
these bonds amounting to $10,400 annually until their maturity in 
1902, except in the collection of the interest for 1879 and 1880 there 
was some litigation. When the proposition to vote bonds was 
originally submitted to the people formidable opposition developed 
in the western section of Washington County, due to two or three 
causes. Among some it was felt that the benefits of the university in 
the main would accrue to Fayetteville. Others on general principles 
were opposed to bond issues. Still another source of opposition 
came from Cane Hill College, the friends of which felt that the 
location of the university in the county would injure said institution. 
That they were right in this view became more apparent as the 
university grew. The college became weaker and finally died. 
Opposition seems to have increased rather than diminished for the 
first few years after the location of the university. This feeling 
culminated in 1879 in the refusal of the county levying court composed 
of Judge Thomas Mullins and the justices of the peace to levy the 
tax to cover the interest on the bonds. The vote of the court, five 
for the tax and twenty against showed the proportions to which the 
opposition had grown. The levy should have been made for the period 
from January, 1879, to June 30, 1880. This lead to a mandamus suit 
brought by the university (State of Arkansas for the use of the 
Arkansas Industrial University vs. Thomas Mullins, et al.) to compel 
the levying court to impose the tax. The suit was brought at the 



ADMINISTRATION OF THE ENDOWMENT. 85 

January, 1880, term of the circuit court before Judge James H. Kerry, 
later governor and United States senator. The university was 
represented by J. M. Pittman and A. W. Wilson, while the people of 
Cane Hill and surrounding country engaged Sam W. Peel, later a 
member of Congress, to represent the levying court. 

The brief of the defense and the testimony of witnesses in the 
case throw light not only upon the immediate question at issue, but 
also upon the course of study at the university. The defense pleaded 
that the organic act of 1871 authorizing the county to bid for the 
location and to issue bonds was in violation of section six of article 
ten of the constitution of 1868. This section provided that the credit 
of the State or counties should not be loaned without the consent 
of the people at the polls. The point was not well taken because the 
act did provide for the expression of the people's will. The brief 
further recites that the bonds issued by the county were illegal and 
void because at the election held on that issue only 400 votes were 
cast for the proposition and 320 against it, that 400 votes were not a 
majority of the qualified electors, but that there were at least 1,500 
voters in the county. It further alleges that there were 3,000 males 
twenty-one years of age in the county, many of whom were disfran- 
chised, and that if they had taken part in the election, two-thirds 
would have voted in the negative. The evidence on this point was 
weak. The defense further alleged that the university was being- 
conducted almost solely as a literary institution, in which the classics, 
mathematics and the sciences were the chief elements in the course of 
study; that the land grant act of 1862, to which the institution owed 
its origin, emphasized agriculture and the mechanic arts as the chief 
subjects to be taught ; that Arkansas by the acts of 1867, 1868 and 
1871 solemnly pledged her honor to carry out in good faith the 
provisions of the grant ; that the manner of conducting the institution 
was defeating the purpose for which the university was brought into 
existence and was therefore in violation of the acts of the general 
assembly of the State. As the funds were being misapplied the 
plaintiff insisted that there was no obligation on the county to pay 
the interest on the bonds. 

The principal evidence introduced bore mainly on the last conten- 
tion, namely, that the university, being run almost solely as a classical 



86 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

institution, was in open violation of the laws of Congress and of the 
State. Members of the board of trustees and professors were called 
upon to testify. Their efforts to show how agriculture and mechanic 
arts were at least indirectly being taught are amusing. Professor 
Harvey was the star witness on behalf of the university. He insisted 
that chemistry, botany, and biology taught by him underlay agri- 
culture. Professor Gates and other professors were also of the same 
opinion. Judge Gregg spoke modestly, but he understood that the 
subjects taught by. Professor Harvey related to agriculture. He was 
also of opinion that the practical part of agriculture and mechanic 
arts amounted to but little and money should not be wasted upon 
them. Only the underlying principles should be given. However, 
he said that the university had raised some corn and rye and had a 
shop at which the tools of the farm could be repaired. Mr. Dinsmore 
was rather frank. He bluntly said that the State had not appropriated 
enough to develop agriculture and mechanic arts ; besides there was 
no demand for them ; the board had therefore used the limited means 
at their command in providing the courses for which there was a 
demand. Colonel Peel in commenting on the testimony said that the 
subjects taught at the university lay so deeply under agriculture and 
the mechanic arts that the relationship could not be discovered. 
The court granted the prayer of the university for a mandamus, and 
issued an order that the county levying court at its next regular 
term should levy the tax. 

No further trouble was experienced until 1897. Washington 
County had provided a sinking fund to redeem the bonds at maturity 
and had invested it in state bonds. March 16, 1897, the general 
assembly authorized and directed the state treasurer to surrender 
the bonds of Washington County for the state bonds held by the 
county, the exchange to be made on the basis of the present worth 
of the respective bonds. He was furthermore required to cover into 
the treasury the state bonds received by him in exchange and to 
hold the same as a part of the university endowment fund. The 
state bonds held by the county bore six per cent, interest and with 
the accrued interest amounted to over $85,000. But of this amount 
the interest was nearly half, as the State had not paid the interest 
for many years. If the exchange was made, as the accrued interest 



ADMINISTRATION OF THE ENDOWMENT. 87 

would not yield an income, it wovild in effect reduce the rate to almost 
three per cent and would therefore materially affect the income of the 
university. The board of trustees at their June meeting considered 
the question and passed a resolution authorizing- Governor Jones to 
employ C. C. liamby of Hope and J. B. McDonough of Fort Smith 
to represent the university in any litigation that might arise. 

The attorneys took the position that inasmuch as the United 
States had made a donation to the university the United States had 
an interest in the institution and that an action would lie before the 
federal court. They accordingly brought suit (Arkansas Industrial 
University vs. Ransom Gulley, Treasurer) in the United States district 
court at Little Rock, asking that the injunction be granted against 
the state treasurer forbidding him to make the exchange of bonds in 
accordance with the provisions of the act. The suit was filed and a 
temporary injunction granted September 20, 1897, and on the 12th 
of the following April the restraining order was made permanent. 
The contention of the plaintiff was that the land grant act of 1862 
provided that the State should invest the proceeds of the land scrip 
in securities bearing at least five per cent interest, that the State in 
its organic and preliminary acts had accepted this obligation and had 
solemnly pledged its faith to carry out the agreement, and that the 
proposed step would be in violation of this compact in that the 
interest on the state bonds to be received in exchange for the bonds 
of Washington County, while at a nominal rate of six per cent., would 
practically yield only about three per cent. The attorneys for the 
imiversity moreover insisted that the payment of neither the interest 
nor the principal of the state bonds could be enforced, while in the 
case of the bonds of Washington County the university could secure 
an order of the court compelling the county authorities to levy a tax 
to cover bonds and interest. 

Washington County was represented by R. J. Wilson of Fayette- 
ville. He contended that the position of the plaintiff was not sound 
for the simple reason that the State could turn around and at once 
invest the accrued interest in other securities bearing five per cent 
or over. In this way the requirements of the land grant act would 
be met. Moreover he said that even if the average rate of interest 
should fall below five per cent, there would be no legal ground of 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



complaint, provided the state authorities invested the bonds in the 
best securities within the rang-e of their opportunities. He called 
the attention of the court to the principle of law that where physical 
conditions made it impossible to comply fully with a rule of law 
the nearest approach to compliance satisfied the requirements ot 
equity and would stop all complaint. In this connection he quoted 
the decision of the court in the case of investing- the endowment of 
Cornell University in the bonds of the city of Albany, the rate being 
less than five per cent. The court sustained the investment on the 
ground that safe securities yielding five per cent could not be secured. 
However, Judge Williams upheld the contention of the board of 
trustees and enjoined the state treasurer from carrying out the 
provisions of the act in question. 

Fayetteville and Washington County Redeem Their Bonds. 

In the organic act of 1871 it was stipulated that the town or county 
securing the location of the university should not be required to pay 
more than one year's interest on its bonds before the completion of 
the main building, and that in case more than one year's interest was 
collected, the State would refund said interest. As the building was 
not completed until 1875, the interest for 1873 and 1874 was 
erroneously collected. Accordingly the general assembly on December 
14, 1875, directed the state treasurer to deliver to Washington 
County $16,000 in state bonds in lieu of that amount of interest 
wrongfully collected. The county was authorized to use the interest on 
these state bonds in settling its semi-annual interest due the university 
on its own bonds. The State did not refund the interest erroneously 
collected from Fayetteville for over a quarter of a century. The 
bonds of both the county and the town fell due January 1, 1902. In 
1901 the general assembly passed acts making provision for final 
settlement. Washington County, it seems, had with a sinking fund 
bought state bonds, which, with the accrued interest, amounted to 
$88,500. 

An act passed May 23, 1901, authorized the county on the first of 
the following- January to deliver to the state treasurer said state 
bonds and sufficient money to cover the $100,000 county bonds held 
by the State. Whereupon it was made the duty of the state treasurer 



ADMINISTRATION OF THE ENDOWMENT. 89 

to surrender the boiuls of the county. b^urthermore the state 
treasurer was directed to set aside $100,000 of 3 per cent funded 
state bonds of 1899 as a part of the ])ermanent endowment of the 
university, the interest to be paid annually. The state debt board 
was also authorized, if it deemed it wise, to dispose of said bonds at 
not less than par and to invest the proceeds for the university in safe 
securities bearing- a hit^her rate of interest. On the same day the 
le.^islaturc authorized the city of Fayetteville to pay on the first of 
the followini^ January the accrued interest and to redeem as many 
of its bonds held by the State in trust for the university as the city 
was al)lc. Moreover the act authorized h'ayetteville to issue new five 
per cent bonds ])ayable in five or twenty years in lieu of the bonds 
which said city was unable to pay. The act furthermore directed the 
state treasurer in settling- with Fayetteville to surrender to the city 
$4,800 worth of her bonds to cover the interest erroneously collected 
in 1873 and 1874. The new five per cent bonds of h'ayetteville and 
f)ther safe securities to be purchased with the money received from 
the city, it was directed, should be set aside as a i)art of the permanent 
endowment of the university. Under the provisions of this act the 
city of Iv'iyetteville in 1902 redeemed all but $9,000 of her bonds and 
in place of the old ones issued new five per cent bonds up to that 
amount. In 1907 the city took up these bonds. 

Present Status of the Endowment. 

The state bonds received from Washington County upon final 
settlement were set aside as a part of the permanent endowment ; the 
cash received from Fayetteville and the county was invested in state 
bonds, raising- the total investment in three per cent state bonds to 
$116,000, which is the amount now to the credit of this fund. Since 
Fayetteville redeemed the last of her bonds in 1907, the money has not 
been invested. So there is in cash to the credit of the endowment fund 
$9,193.75. This makes a total endowment of $125,193.75. There 
should be $130,000 besides the $2,666.67 of the land scrip sale which, 
as has been explained, was probably used for current expenses. The 
reason why the present endowment is short by almost five thousand 
dollars is that in 1902, when the State refunded to the city $4,800 of 
interest wrongfully collected in 1873 and 1874, she surrendered to 



90 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Fayetteville that amount of the city's bonds held to the credit of the 
endowment fund instead of paying in cash. The State therefore owes 
the endowment fund $6,472.92 and is to that extent violating the 
pledge made to the government in accepting the college land grant. 
With regard to the rate of interest the investment is realizing two 
per cent, less than the act of 1862 requires. If three per cent, is the 
best rate that can be had on long time safe securities, the State is 
not open to criticism at this point. 

Comparative Statement. 

The following tabular statement will afford an opportunity to 
compare the amounts of land received by several states under the 
act of 1862 and to what advantage each state sold its land or scrip. 

State. No. acres. 

Arkansas ■ 150,000 

Delaware 90,000 

Maryland 210,000 

Alabama 240,000 

Maine 210,000 

Illinois 450,000 

Oregon 90,000 

New Hampshire 150,000 

Rhode Island 120,000 

California 150,000 

Missouri 3.30,ooo 

Indiana 390,ooo 

Wisconsin 240,000 

West Virginia 150,000 

Massachusetts 390,ooo 

Ohio 630,000 

Nevada 90,000 

Vermont 150,000 

Pennsylvania 780,000 

Tennessee 300,000 

Nebraska : 90,000 

Connecticut 180,000 

North Carolina 270,000 

South Carolina 180,000 

Texas 180,000 

Kansas 90,000 



Amount realized 


Total amount 


per acre. 


realized. 


$ -90 


$ 135,000.00 


.92 


83,000.00 


■ 55 


115,943.00 


1.06 


253,500.00 


.56 


118,300.00 


1. 00 


450,000 . 00 


1.04 


93,985.00 


•53 


80,000 . 00 


■ 41 


50,000.00 


5^i4 


771,676.86 


■ 52 


170,000.00 


■ 87 


340,000 . 00 


I-5I 


363,738.88 


.60 


90,000.00 


.56 


219,000.00 


■ 54 


342 450.80 


I ■OS 1/4 


95,000.00 


.90 


135,500.00 


■52 


406,000 . 00 


I^34J4 


403,500.00 


■ 44 


39,504^52 


■ 75 


135,000.00 


.46 


125,000.00 


1.07 


191,800.00 


1. 16 


209,000 . 00 


5-57 


501,426.33 



ADMINISTRATION OF THE ENDOWMENT. 91 



State. No. acres. 

Mississippi 207,920 

Florida 90,000 

Georgia 270,000 

Iowa 240,000 

Minnesota 120,000 

New Jersey 210,000 

Virginia 300,000 

Colorado 90,000 

Michigan 240,000 

Kentucky 330,000 

Louisiana 210,000 

New York 989,920 

9,597,840 



\mount realized 


Total amount 


per acre. 




realized. 


$ .90 




188,028.00 


1-73 




155,800.00 


.90 




243,000.00 


2.70 




649,396.16 


4-39 




526,837-96 


• 55 




116,000.00 


• 95 




285,000 . 00 


Est. in part i .25 




112,500.00 


2.50 




600,000 . 00 


.60 




200,000 . 00 


1,00 




210,000.00 


6.73 




6,661,473.88 


$1.65 


$: 


[5.866,371.39 



CHAPTER VII. 



ADMINISTRATIONS OF PRESIDENTS GATES AND BISHOP. 



The administration of each President Gates and President Bishop 
was short. As both were occupied with the foundation work of the 
organization and the beginning of the university they will be treated 
together. President Gates entered upon the discharge of the duties 
of his office December 13, 1871, and continued until December 20, 
1873, when he gave place to President Bishop, who held the position 
until June, 1875. Again Professor Gates was advanced to the 
presidency and held the office until June, 1877. 

Personnel. 

In the organization of the university the selection of a faculty was 
among the many duties imposed upon the executive committee. The 
first faculty was indeed small, but the institution was also small. Only 
seven students matriculated the first day ; and only ten in the normal 
department, none in the college and ninety-one in the preparatory 
department matriculated the first fraction of a year (January to 
July, 1872). The students matriculating the first day were A. W. 
Gregg, A. S. Gregg, Anna Putnam, C. R. Gilbreth, R. Putnam, W. G. 
Brooks and H. F. Buie. The corps of teachers for that year consisted 
of the following: N. P. Gates, acting president, principal of the 
normal department and acting professor of mental and moral 
philosophy, salary $2,440; C. H. Leverett, professor of ancient 
languages and literature, salary $2,000; Miss Mary R. Gorton, 
preceptress of mathematics and English literature in the normal 
department, salary $2,000; Miss L. J. Stanard, instructor in the 
model school, salary $1,500. 

The committee wisely postponed the selection of a permanent 
president. Professor Gates, the acting president, was a Kentuckian 
by birth. He received his education in the common schools and in 
colleges in Kentuck}^, Missouri and Illinois. Educated for the 
ministry he took up teaching temporarily for financial reasons, became 



94 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

absorbed in it, and continued an educator throughout life. After nine 
years in the pubHc schools of Illinois, he in 1869 came South on 
account of failing health and accepted the superintendency of the city 
schools of Little Rock, which position he held when he was called 
to the presidency of the university. He was acting- president until 
December, 1873, and from August. 1875, to July, 1877; he was 
principal of the normal department of the university from 1872 to 
1875, and from 1877 to 1884. President Gates was the burden bearer 
in the early days of the university. He organized the school, did all 
the teaching for the first few weeks, assisted the executive committee 
in securing teachers, prepared courses of study, supervised the con- 
struction of temporary building-s, superintended the farm, and in the 
midst of it all did heavy class-room work. Even when General Bishop 
was president, many executive duties were still left to Professor Gates. 
He was also active in bringing the university to the attention of the 
public through the press and the platform. 

Professor Leverett was born in Massachusetts, moved South and 
took a classical course at the University of South Carolina, graduating 
with the M. A. degree. He then taught school for a time in South 
Carolina. After the war he came west and accepted the principalship 
of an academy at Searcy, Arkansas. Later he was principal of 
Ozark Institute near Fayetteville. From this school he came to 
the university, probably the first teacher to join President Gates after 
the opening. Miss Mary Gorton was teaching in Cook County (111.) 
Normal when she was invited to the chair of English and mathematics 
in the normal department. For a time she taught all of the English 
and mathematics in the university. She was principal of the normal 
department the last year of her connection with the university. Other 
teachers were added from time to time as the means of the university 
permitted. During the scholastic year of 1872-73 Dr. Richard 
Thurston of Van Buren was engaged to deliver twelve lectures on 
theoretical and practical agriculture and horticulture; Captain Henry 
L. Burnell was instructor in military science and tactics ; W. D. C. 
Botefiihr became professor of music, and H. C. C. Botefiihr. a member 
of the board, was made superintendent of the farm. An important 
acquisition was made to the faculty in October. 1873. when T. L. 
Thompson was elected professor of theoretical and applied chemistry. 



ADMINISTRATIONS OF PRESIDENTS GATES AND BISHOP. 95 

He was a gifted young man, a B. S. graduate of Iowa State College 
of Agriculture. He took an active part in the work of the university 
for the short time he was here ; he was secretary of the faculty much 
of the time and was also superintendent of the farm. He died of 
pneumonia February 3, 1875. The faculty in their minutes speak of 
liim as one "upon whom Divinity had set the seal of superior man- 
hood." For the remainder of the scholastic year advanced students 
were employed to teach in the preparatory department and Prof. 
Thompson's classes were divided among other members of the 
faculty. Gen. N. B. Pearce also made his first appearance in the 
faculty of 1873-74. 

Lieutenant E. S. Curtis of the second artillery was detailed in 
1873 to take the place of Mr. Burnell. He remained professor of 
military science and tactics until 1875 when a difference between him 
and the faculty over a question of jurisdiction and discipline led to 
his retirement. He seems to have been a competent officer. Two 
important accpiisitions to the faculty were made by the executive 
committee in the selection of Professor O. C. Gray and Professor 
James Mitchell. Professor Gray was appointed to the chair of 
mathematics and civil engineering vice General Pearce. He was 
already a prominent educator in the State, having- served as president 
of St. John's College at Little Rock from 1869 to 1874. He filled an 
important place in the faculty for many years. Professor Mitchell 
was also a man of ability. He was called to the chair of history and 
English literature, a position just created. Miss Gorton had hitherto 
taught English, and history had received no attention further than 
two very elementary courses in United States and general history, 
and a short course in the history of civilization. Professor Mitchell 
was called from Cane Hill College. He was a useful member of the 
faculty for the short time spent in the university. He resigned in 
November, 1876. 

Professor Thompson was succeeded by F. L. Harvey of the Iowa 
State College of Agriculture. Both men were brought to Arkansas 
through the influence of President Welch of the College of Agriculture 
of Iowa who in 1873 declined the presidency of the University of 
Arkansas to which position he had been elected. Professor Harvey 
Avas a strong man and played a conspicuous part in the history of the 



96 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

university for many years. A unique character was added to the 
faculty in March, 1876, in the person of K. Demmlar of Chicago. He 
was a German and was made professor of civil and mechanical 
engineering and German. He filled the chair from March, 1876, to 
June, 1877. Professor E. J. Borden filled the chair of mental and 
moral science in 1876-77. Professor O. F. Russell became principal 
of the preparatory department in 1876. 

The Color Line Drawn. 

In the first administration of President Gates the embarrassing 
question of admitting the negro to the university came up. It will be 
remembered that in the campaign in Washington County for the 
bond issue to secure the location, that question entered. Speakers 
championing the bond issue were called upon to say whether the 
negro would be admitted. January 17, 1872, at a meeting of the board 
held at Little Rock the following resolution was offered : 

"Resolved, That when the exigencies of the case demand it, the 
executive committee of this board be and are hereby instructed to 
inform the president of the Arkansas Industrial University that white 
and colored students shall be admitted into the same classes by him." 
After free discussion the following substitute resolution was adopted : 

"Resolved, That when this question shall arise, in the course of 
events pertaining to the regulation of the university, it shall be 
disposed of as the sound discretion of the executive committee may 
dictate." 

In his commencement oration delivered in June, 1872, General 
Bishop, a member of the board, speaks felicitously of "the question of 
race and color" as being practically settled and grows eloquent about 
the university being a place where "all [are] privileged to attend, and 
with equal facilities to struggle after that preeminence which is the 
reward alone of industry and capacity." The subsequent action of 
the executive committee perhaps throws light upon General Bishop's 
utterance. In their report made to the board April 14, 1873, in speak- 
ing of the terms of admission they said, "Under the resolution by your 
board, passed in that behalf, we have thrown the institution open to 
all, without regard to race, sex or sect." This action, it seems, has 



ADMINISTRATIONS OF PRESIDENTS GATES AND BISHOP 97 

never been rescinded. Of course the estal)lishment of the branch 
normal at Pine Blufif in 1875 in accordance with the act of 1873 
removed the question from the domain of practical consideration. But 
if General Bishop meant that the tw^o races were to be educated 
together in the university when he congratulated the institution on 
the practical solution of the race question, he counted without his 
host. He forgot that he was in the South, and that 1872 was only- 
seven years removed from the Civil War. President Gates had the 
unpleasant duty of facing- the question in its practical bearing. One 
negro had the temerity to apply for admission. According- to the law 
he could not be excluded. President Gates did perhaps about as wise 
a thing- as could have been done short of defying- the board. He 
admitted the negro. l)ut recjuired him to stay during- school hours in 
an outhouse nearbv, and at noon and after school he himself heard 
the negro's recitations. The negro was not allowed to come about 
the building- occupied by the white students. 

Course of Study. 

After laying- down some general principles the executive committee 
left the details of the courses of study to be worked out by the faculty, 
promising that they would later submit to the board a more compre- 
hensive and permanent scheme. Accordingly President Gates and 
his faculty announced in the first catalogue two courses, a "general 
course" of four years based on the completion of the grammar grade 
work today and probably designed for the B. A. degree, though 
not until five years after the opening was the degree mentioned, and 
"normal" courses of two and three years. The following year two 
other four-year courses were added, one in agriculture and another 
in engineering. For the agricultural course, which was largely 
scientific, there was no real demand. ■ Most of the students took the 
classical or normal course, but few being interested in engineering. 
A commercial course appears after 1873 and thereafter until the close 
of President Gates' second administration. The course covered two 
years and required that the student devote about one-third of his time 
to bookkeeping and penmanship. Students completing the course 
to receive the degree of Bachelor of Commerce. It is a noteworthv 



98 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

fact that this was the first degree mentioned as offered by the univer- 
sity, but it is not clear that any such degree was ever conferred. 

For the year 1876-7 the course was lengthened to four years by 
additions in modern languages, science and philosophy. In another 
two years the entire course was quietly dropped. Its death seems to 
have been gradual, only eight students being catalogued for 1875-6 
and none for 1876-7. 

True to their word the executive committee took their work 
and promise seriously. April 18, 1873, they reported a permanent 
plan of organization of the university. They felt that as the land 
scrip had been issued and sold, the stage of uncertainty had passed 
and that the time was ripe for a far-reaching plan of operation. 
While they were conscious that the plan proposed might appear 
"too comprehensive and extended," they thought anything less, 
especially in respect to the industrial features, would fall short of 
the great objects contemplated by the college land grant act and the 
organic act of the State. They emphasized strongly the agricultural 
and industrial features of the institution. Commenting on this they 
said : 

These, doubtless, were the reasons that prompted Congress to lay the founda- 
tion of this new class of colleges and universities — new in their aims and results, 
new in their organization — institutions which should train men to the industrial 
pursuits and help them to turn a portion of the currents of educated life into the 
channels of productive industry. By them it was intended to link learning more 
closely with labor, and to bring the light of science more fully to the aid of the 
productive arts. Through them it was intended to give the pursuits of agriculture 
and the mechanic arts that honor and commanding position in the community to 
which they are justly entitled — the honor and position which should not be inferior 
in any enlightened community to those even of the so-called "learned professions." 

The fact is the committee showed a clear grasp of the purposes 
of the land grant act ; it is doubtful whether a clearer statement of 
the plans and purposes of the new institutions brought into existence 
by the land grant act can be found in contemporary writings than 
this report gives. The blame for the small number that took agricul- 
ture and engineering in the early days can not be placed at the door 
of the board nor of the faculty, for the legislation of both bodies 
favored industrial courses. It might be urged with some justice that 
for the first twenty years the board did not employ men scientifically 



ADMINISTRATIONS OF PRESIDENTS GATES AND BISHOP. 99 

trained in agriculture, though with ahnost equal truth it might be 
said that but few, if any, such men existed in the United States. The 
schools had simply not trained a body of men for the ag-ricultural 
colleges. The fact is there was no demand for the work, neither was 
there any adequate a])preciation among the people of the State of the 
need of science as applied to either agriculture or industry, and no 
kind of artificial stimulants could overcome this letharg-y. The 
university had to wait on the people, on the "moving of the waters." 
After having stated forcibly the aims of the institution the 
committee made the following specific recommendations : 

The university proper shall embrace four colleges, with thirteen subordinate 
schools as follows : 

I. The college of agriculture, including 

First — The school of agriculture. 
Second — The school of horticulture. 

II. The college of engineering, including 

First — the school of mechanical engineering. 
Second — The school of mining engineering. 
Third — The school of civil engineering. 
Fourth — The school of architecture. 

III. The college of natural science, including 
First — The school of chemistry. 
Second — The school of natural history. 

IV. The college of general science and literature, including 

First — The school of English and modern languages and literature. 
Second — The school of ancient languages and literature. 
Third — The school of mathematics. 

In addition they said the college would include history, social science, 
military science, and a school of commence. The faculty was 
directed to work out the details as the progress of the university might 
require. Moreover the faculty was charged with the duty of 
prescribing the courses for the normal department. The committee 
also recommended the establishment of the following chairs in the 
university proper : 

First — -The chair of mental and moral philosophy. 
Second — The chair of English languages and literature. 
Third — The chair of ancient languages and literature. 



100 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Fourth — The chair of practical and theoretical agriculture. 

Fifth — The chair of botany and horticulture. 

Sixth — The chair of theoretical and applied chemistry. 

Seventh — The chair of mechanical science, engineering and mining 
engineering. 

Eighth — The chair of mathematics and civil engineering. 

Ninth — The chair of military science. 

Besides these they advised the establishment of six chairs in the 
normal department. 

The plan was indeed an ambitious one. It could not then be 
realized nor has it been fully carried out up to the present. Though 
in general the plan marks the broad outlines along which the insti- 
tution has been developing. It will be noted that in these matters the 
board and not the faculty took the lead. Judge Searle was chairman 
of the executive committee and may have written the report. The 
board and its committees deserve credit for both the intelligence that 
they brought to bear on the problems and the time that they devoted 
to the institution. 

This utilitarian conception of education met with determined 
opposition. Almost all of the educators trained in the traditional 
college were either skeptical or opposed to the plan. As broad and 
liberal an educator as President Eliot of Flarvard said in 1873 that 
the state might provide for universal elementary education on the 
basis of its being a cheap police system, but that no one should be 
taxed to send another man's son to high school or college. This 
opposition took form in an investigation into the administration of 
the land grant colleges by Congress in 1874. The house committee 
on education and labor was directed to conduct an investigation into 
the management of these institutions. The questions sent out were 
searching, calling for detailed information about the sale of the land 
scrip, the investment and administration of the endowment, the 
working of the schools, courses of study, and particularly the work 
done in agriculture and the industrial arts. The reports seem to have 
disarmed the opposition, for the fight soon ceased. 



ADMINISTRATIONS OF PRESIDENTS GATES AND BISHOP. 101 

First Years of the University. 

While the eourse of stnch' was elementary and the material 
eqnipments were meatier, they were no more so than the general 
educational, social and economic conditions of the State at the time 
were primitive. There were not many miles of railroad ; no line 
penetrated the northwest section of Arkansas, 'llie country was still 
new. Besides, it had not recovered from the Civil War. Daily mails 
reached comparatively few places. The public school system existed 
merely on paper; it had an ol^ciary, the external machinery; but it 
Jiad no vitality. It had no financial support. What state funds 
were available were in the form of depreciated scrip. Not only were 
the public schools in the germinal stage, but moreover the private 
schools were few and weak. Under these conditions a body of 
students prepared for college was out of the cjuestion. The college 
itself was compelled to take crude and unprepared students and fit 
them for college. Most of the matriculates knew something of the 
"common l)ranches," a few even had the rudiments of T.atin. Hence 
the major work of the first few years was preparatory and, judged by 
present colleg'e standards, the graduate of the early days could about 
enter the sophomore class of today. During the first fractic^nal year 
there was no collegiate student and the time was occupied in review- 
ing ]:)reparatory subjects, or "licking the cubs into shape," as an 
alumnus has expressed it. So much was this general review needed 
that during- this first year the whole body of students save the primary 
were often called together and put through general drills in arithmetic, 
elocution, grammar, g-eography and history. Out of these general 
meeting-s sprang- the first literary society. Some of the nnxst valuable 
services of President Gates consisted in brief morning talks to the 
untrained, but enthusiastic students on practical questions, such as 
manners, morals, and education. It was not until the second year 
that a freshman class was organized. The normal department was 
emphasized with a view to serving the imperative need of the State 
for better trained teachers. It was not until 1875 that the first normal 
class was graduated. It was a memorable event, not only because of 
its being- the first graduation exercise, but because it was the first 



102 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

university exercise to be held in the new University Hall. No degrees 
were conferred. In 1876 the first class of the classical course 
graduated. 

In the matter of equipments for college work the university was no 
better off than in point of buildings. There were probably a dozen 
or more books as a nucleus of a library during the first fraction of 
a year. The next year other books and a few periodicals were added. 
Only small amounts for books could be allowed by the board. The 
fact is, the funds appropriated for the library have never been large. 
The class-room equipments the first year consisted mainly in black- 
boards and wall-maps. Not until Professor Thompson came in 1873 
was there any apparatus for work in science. He secured enough 
funds for sufficient apparatus for a course in general chemistry. With 
the coming of Professor Harvey some physical apparatus was 
purchased. Prior to that the subject seems to have been taught 
without any laboratory. The two frame buildings previously men- 
tioned erected in the autumn of 1871 and in the summer of 
1872 together with an addition made in the vacation of 1873, housed 
the university until the main building was completed in 1875. The 
two frame buildings were two stories and were connected by a 
hallway roofed over and enclosed. They stood west of University 

Hall. 

University Hall. 

In this period the main university building was erected. Its 
construction was delayed by the failure of the government to issue 
the land scrip. Plowever, this obstacle was overcome in 1872 and in 
August of that year the board authorized the sale of the scrip even 
before its delivery. The contract called for settlement in full for the 
scrip within twelve months. This fund was in part available April 
14, 1873. when the board met and invested the land scrip endowment 
funds in the bonds of Fayetteville and Washington County and thus 
at once made available for building purposes $121,333^/3, the cash price 
of said bonds. By this time the board was thoroughly convinced that 
the plans of the main building of the University of Illinois were 
superior to the plans of McKay & Helmle adopted the year before by 
the building committee. On being advised by Judge Searle and Mr. 
Bishop that the board was under no contractual obligations either 



ADMINISTRATIONS OF PRESIDENTS GATES AND BISHOP. 103 

directly or by implication with McKay & Helmle for the erection of 
the building- according to their plans, the board adopted the plans of 
the Illinois building. On July 4, 1873, the committee on buildings 
and grounds reported the several bids for the construction of the 
building according to the plans and specifications of the main hall of 
the University of Illinois. As the bid of Mayes & Oliver for $123,855 
was the lowest, the contract was awarded to them, the building to be 
completed by September 1, 1875. John A. McKay, a bidder for the 
contract, was made supervising architect. At a later meeting Judge 
Lafayette Gregg and Stephen K. Stone, citizens of Fayetteville, were 
made advisory and consulting members of the building committee. 
Upon this local committee, though not members of the board, fell 
heavy duties of supervision. The main credit for the excellent 
workmanship and the high grade of materials for which the building 
is noted, is due to Judge Gregg, who with great care watched over 
the building while in process of construction. In 1874, after the 
contractors had begun the building, the old committee gave place 
to a new one, consisting of Lafayette Gregg, A. W. Dinsmore and 
M. F. Lake. This change of the board by Governor Baxter was the 
forerunner of the political revolution of that year, which turned the 
state government over to the Democrats. There was no change in 
the building plans except that the architect was summarily discharged 
for neglect of duty. The building was completed according to 
contract time and was accepted September 8. 1875. Alterations in the 
plans as the building progressed made it cost $135,246.88. Later as 
needs required the basement and third and fourth floors were 
completed and fitted up for use. The building for many years served 
all the needs of the university and is still the main hall for the arts 
departments. 

Beneficiaries. 

In 1874 the board changed the method of appointing beneficiaries. 
The old method was not bringing in students in sufficient numbers. 
For instance, in 1872-73, out of 230 students, only 67 were beneficiaries 
and the following year only 119 out of 321. The board accordingly 
divided the State into nine subdivisions and assigned a division to 
each member. Hereafter a beneficiary was to be appointed by the 
member of the board in charge of the district within which the 



104 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

applicant lived. The trustee might delegate the power to the county 
superintendent. Each trustee was expected to be active in his efforts 
to fill the quota of beneficiaries to which the counties within his 
district were entitled. The plan does not appear to have improved 
matters, for in the year 1874-1875, out of a total enrollment of 344, 
there were only 155 beneficiaries. The non-beneficiaries were chiefly 
from \\'ashington County. The railroads oft'ered half fare to 
beneficiaries. 

Finances. 

The sources of income of the university during this period were 
state appropriations, the bonds of Fayetteville and Washington 
County, the endowment, and student fees. The endowment yielded 
$10,400 annually ; the sale of the bonds largely paid for the building, 
while student fees and state appropriations were used to meet current 
expenses. The appropriations were as follows: In 1871, $50,000; 
in 1873, $30,000; in 1875, $6,389, besides $5,000 allowed to meet the 
expenses of the board of visitors created in that year. In 1872 the 
legislature appropriated $31,577.67, but only $10,000 of it was for 
maintenance. The rest was to cover an unpaid balance on the building 
and the expenses of the board of visitors. The appropriations by tlie 
State were paid in scrip and on some of this the board realized only 
31 cents on the dollar. The financial administration was primitive. 
All accounts from the smallest to the largest had to be presented to 
the executive committee for approval. The records of the committee 
show that some accounts were allowed and ordered paid in currency, 
Others in state scrip. It was important which form of payment was 
ordered. Salaries varied during this period. The president at first 
received $2,700, and professors about $2,000. The salary fixed for 
General Bishop when elected was $4,000. When the board was 
changed in 1874, his salary was reduced to $2,700, the principal of the 
normal department was allowed $2,100, while other full professors 
were paid $1,700. 

In December, 1873, Senator Morrill introduced a bill providing 
for the further endowment of the land grant colleges. It proposed 



ADMINISTRATIONS OF PRESIDENTS GATES AND BISHOP. 105 

to set apart the net proceeds of the sale of public lands as an 
education fund to be an endowment, the interest on which was to be 
di\-ided into two equal parts, one to be divided among the states 
for the support of public schools, while the other half was to be 
ap])lied to the support of the land grant colleges. The board of 
trustees of the university at once became interested and sent President 
Bishop to Washington to aid in securing the passage of the bill. On 
his way President Bishop attended a meeting of the National Agri- 
cidtural Congress at Atlanta and secured the adoption of a resolution 
l)raying for the passage of the bill. He therefore proceeded to 
Washington and as chairman of the committee of the National 
Agricultural Congress to present the memorial, General Bishop laid 
the matter before Congress. He did what he could in its behalf. The 
bill failed of passage. 

Government. 

Tile purely internal concerns of the university for this period were 
controlled by the faculty. The president seemingly had no more 
authority than a professor. If he exercised any power, such as 
excusing a boy for an absence, his action to be legal had to be ratified 
by the faculty. The faculty elected janitors and student librarians 
and selected text books. The demerit system of administering 
punishment prevailed for most of this period. The faculty minutes 
are largely taken up with cases of discipline, hearing testimony and 
in fixing punishments. Absences had to be explained to the whole 
facultv and much time was occupied in determining how many demerits 
should be imposed. Some of the offences for which students were 
tried were absences, tardiness, insubordination, drinking, stealing 
apples, and lawlessness. Carrying concealed weapons was apparently 
common and was not a grave ofifense. Students seem to have had 
peculiar ideas as to the gravity of dififerent offences. One student 
offered as an excuse for throwing rocks at Captain Lattimore's house 
that he was so drunk that he did not know what he was about; 
hence not responsible. Owing to his humiliation and previous good 
conduct the offence was condoned. A student in excusing himself 
for disobeying the order of the president did not know of a law 



106 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

requiring obedience. One Mr. Quinn, in explaining- tardiness, said 
that on his way to school he lost his dinner because it was not 
securely wrapped and had to return for another. The excuse was not 
considered valid, as he could have brought his dinner in a tin bucket. 
The faculty had much of the milk of human kindness. Frequently 
the records show that a suspended or expelled student was reinstated 
because he had confessed his sin and begged pardon. Sometimes 
people on the outside assisted the faculty in discipline. In 1874 a 
petition signed by 83 citizens of the town and county praying for 
the reinstatement of certain expelled students was filed. The request 
was granted. 

It was also regarded quite an ofifence for young gentlemen and 
young ladies to associate together. Petitions for socials and for 
suspensions of the rules were usually refused. Young men of the 
literary societies were not permitted to accompany the young lady 
members home from their meetings on Friday night. Professor Gray 
thought it was the duty of the faculty to look after the social as well 
as the intellectual and moral habits of the students. At his suggestion 
the faculty instituted a monthly social to be held at the university. 
Some member of the faculty was to be present. No dancing was 
allowed. The faculty by resolution would at times pass students who 
had failed. In December, 1874, a rule was adopted not permitting a 
student to have more than four recitations a day. At the beginning 
of each term the faculty assigned to each member the subjects that 
he was to teach. 

It will be noted that everything mentioned relates to the internal 
concerns of the school. The paramount authority was in the executive 
committee and they exercised it. The fact is the government of the 
institution except in matters of internal discipline was committee 
government ; it was neither presidential nor faculty control. The 
executive committee met frequently, sometimes as often as two or 
three times a month. They passed upon all accounts, employed 
teachers and officers including president, fixed salaries, altered courses 
of study, and minutely supervised the affairs of the institution. 



ADMINISTRATIONS OF PRESIDENTS GATES AND BISHOP. 107 

The university's growth in attendance for the period ending- June, 
1877, is shown by the tables below: 

Number of College Students, 
Normals being counted Collegiate. 
Year Ending Preparatory Males Total 

in June Males. Females. Total. and Females. Enrollment. 

1872 4 6 10 91 loi 

1873 19 12 31 199 230 

1874 60 20 80 241 321 

1875 87 50 137 198 335 

1876 86 32 118 152 270 

1877 90 25 115 172 287 

Board Changes. 

The year 1874 was a hot year in Arkansas politics. It witnessed 
the Brooks-Baxter struggle for the office of governor, the establish- 
ment of a new constitution, and a change of the state government from 
the Republicans, who had controlled it since 1868, to the Democrats. 
It was during the progress of this struggle that a party of Brooks' 
partisans seized and took to Little Rock the arms of the university. 
The board of trustees felt the shock, though there was no real change 
in the faculty or policy of the institution. Just after Baxter triumphed 
over Brooks, Judge Bennett, a member of the supreme bench and a 
member of the board of trustees, resigned. The general assembly 
May 30 passed an act vacating all trusteeships of the university, 
designated Dudley E. Jones, Lafayette Gregg, A. W. Dinsmore, J. M. 
Johnson, M. F. Lake, J. C. Wallar, Wood E. Thompson, the governor 
and the president of the university as the new board. The governor 
was made chairman. The act designated temporary officers pending a 
meeting of the board. It was made their duty to meet annually in 
June at Fayetteville. The old board was ordered to turn over to the 
state treasurer or to President Bishop all moneys, papers and property 
belonging to the university. The new board was conservative and 
took up the work where the old b(^ard had left off. 

Skarch for a President. 

The board had trouble in finding a president. Acting President 
Gates said that he preferred teaching to executive work, but agreed 



108 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

to serve temporarily until the board could find a permanent president, 
after which he was to devote his entire time to the normal department. 
But it was not an easy matter to secure a man of scholarship and 
ability who was willing to come into the woods and take control of 
a mere hope. The search for a president continued from the organiza- 
tion of the university until General Hill accepted the office in 1877. 
The executive committee worked chiefly through General Bishop or 
President Gates. In December, 1871, they, instructed him to 
correspond with universities and colleges at the north and east with 
a view to finding a suitable man and to lay the information gathered 
before the committee. This method of procedure failed of its purpose. 
On January 25, 1873, the board instructed General Bishop to visit the 
east with a view to finding a suitable person for the office. If he found 
the right man he was authorized to make a contract subject to the 
approval of the board. A maximum salary of $3,500 was fixed. 
Accordingly he visited Yale, Amherst Agricultural College, Cornell, 
Indiana and Illinois. He seems to have failed in his efforts. However, 
he opened up a correspondence in the spring of 1873 with A. S. Welch, 
president of the Iowa State College of Agriculture at Ames. Dr. 
Welch was invited to deliver the commencement address in June. 
He did so and he was formally tendered the presidency of the 
university at a salary of $4,000. This he took under advisement, finally 
decided to accept and tendered his resignation in Iowa. But the 
citizens of Ames entered such a protest that the board offered him 
such inducements that he felt constrained to reconsider and to decline 
the offer in Arkansas. This decision was communicated to the board 
November 14. Dr. Welch was a strong man and his coming would 
probably have meant much to the university. The executive com- 
mittee upon receipt of Dr. Welch's communication elected General 
Bishop president to begin December 20, 1873. This action was later 
confirmed by the board. 

In July of 1875 the executive committee tendered the presidency 
to General Joseph E. Johnston of Georgia. They felt embarrassed 
in offering such a distinguished gentleman only $3,000 and therefore 
in communicating with him through Governor Garland they asked 
the latter to explain the financial limitations of the committee and 
to impress upon him that a better salary would be provided when 



ADMINISTRATIONS OF PRESIDENTS GATES AND BISHOP. 109 

the general assembly made another appropriation. The following- 
month they were advised of General Johnston's declination of the 
ofifer. Whereupon they again tendered the acting presidency to 
Professor Gates, who accepted and filled the office during the next 
two years. It seems, however, that the w^ork did not suit him and he 
requested to be relieved more than once. Accordingly in December 
of the following" year the executive committee requested President 
Gates to enter into correspondence with institutions of learning with 
a view to finding a suitable person for the position. It appears that 
there was some objection to Professor Gates, for the faculty took up 
his cause and on March 1, 1877. sent a communication to the 
executive committee, expressing regrets that President Gates was 
resigning. They said two things were urged against him — manage- 
ment of the university and his politics. As for the first they insisted 
that the discipline, morals and standard of the institution had been 
raised under him and that in discipline he was always just and 
impartial and that he uniformly had the support of the faculty. AVith 
respect to the matter of politics they saw no relation between the 
politics of a man and his qualifications for an educational position. 
Besides, he had not injected his politics into university affairs. This 
is probably a fair statement of the case. In the spring of 1877 the 
executive committee corresponded with General D. H. Hill of 
Charlotte, North Carolina, and General A. P. Stuart of Oxford, 
Mississippi. When the board met in June, General Hill was elected 
at a salary of $3,000. Governor Miller was directed to communicate 
the action of the board to General Hill, to state their legal incapacity 
to guarantee a salary for a term of years and to assure him that the 
permanency of the endowment rendered such action unnecessary. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



ADMINISTRATION OF GENERAL HILL. 



Personnel. 

General D. H. Hill was born in York District, South Carolina, 
July 12, 1821. He entered West Point in 1838 with a class whose roll 
was adorned by the names of Generals Longstreet, Stuart, Van 
Dorn, Rosecrans, Reynolds and Pope. After the Mexican war Major 
Hill resigned his position in the army and accepted the professorship 
of mathematics in Washington College, Lexington, Virginia, which 
position he filled for six years when he accepted the same place in 
Davidson College. In 1859 he became commandant of the Military 
Institute at Charlotte. His military record in the Confederate army is 
a matter of common fame. General Hill's service in connection with 
the University of Arkansas (1877-1884) is given in this chapter. 

Among- the teachers taken over to the new administration from that 
of President Gates were Professors Gates, Leverett, Gray, Harvey and 
Miss Harris, all of whom remained in the faculty throughout his 
administration. Miss Harris had been added as a tutor in the preceding- 
year and was now advanced to an adjunct professorship of English 
literature and history. This position she held until 1880 when she was 
raised to the rank of professor of English and history. She graduated 
from the university in the first class, that of 1876. During most of her 
official connection with the university she was secretary of the 
faculty. Professor O. F. Russell came in with General Hill and for 
three years was principal of the preparatory department. He was 
compelled to resign in December, 1880, .on account of ill health. 
James Beale Gordon was a graduate of the University of Virginia. 
He was appointed adjunct professor of civil engineering and mathe- 
matics, vice Professor Demmler. He held the position until June, 
1880, when he was made professor of applied mathematics and 
engineering. He died in September of that year. He was a man 
of promise. Professor H. E. Edmeiston, an alumnus of the University 
of Virginia, was appointed in 1879 first assistant in the preparatory 



112 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

department, which position he held until October, 1880, when at 
the request of the faculty the executive committee appointed him 
professor of modern languages. He held this chair until 1885, when 
he was swept away b}^ the revolution of that year. Professor George 
W. Broke was appointed in 1880 to a place in the preparatory 
department. The following June he was elected first assistant in 
that department, which position he continued to hold until 1885, 
when he, like the rest of the faculty, was retired in keeping with the 
board's construction of the act of the general assembly of that year. 
He is an A. B. and A. M. graduate of the university and for many 
years he has held the chair of mathematics in his alma mater. Rev. 
H. M. Welch was selected in 1880 principal of the preparatory depart- 
ment vice Professor Russell resigned. He held the position until 1885. 
Professor A. V. Lane filled the chair of applied mathematics and 
engineering 1882-84. In 1879 C. P. Conrad of the University of 
Virginia was elected adjunct professor of science. In 1881 the work 
in science was divided. Professor Conrad took chemistry and physics 
and Professor Harvey biology and geology. Professor Conrad was a 
man of strong individuality, and for six years he played a conspicuous 
part in the history of the university. 

Growth of Departments. 

The administration of General Hill began under difficulties. The 
university was not known nor appreciated in the State. Besides, 
the general assembly of 1877 allowed the institution a mere fraction 
of the appropriation requested. As he entered upon his duties 
therefore the board was under the necessity of retrenching in 
expenditures. Accordingly, when they met in June they vacated all 
positions in the university and appointed a committee to prepare a 
plan reorganizing the faculty, consolidating where possible, and 
reducing expenses. The report of the committee advised the following 
professorships : mental and moral science with political economy and 
civil polity; mathematics and civil engineering; natural science and 
chemistry ; ancient and modern languages with English literature and 
history; principal of the normal department; music. The first chair 
was assigned to the president. Professor Leverett and Miss Harris 



ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HILL. 113 

were made responsible for all of the languages, Professor Harvey 
was thought competent to teach all of the sciences, while mathematics 
and engineering were given over to Professors Gray and Gordon. 

Notwithstanding many difficulties, the administration made 
progress. General Hill's strong personality, aided by his military 
fame, soon gav^e him a strong hold on the State. There was an 
appreciable growth in the appropriations. The total amount allowed 
the university in 1879 was $24,000, in 1881 $19,246.81, and in 1883 
$29,716.48. An act of 1883 required that thereafter all appropriations 
for the university must be itemized. General Hill was therefore able 
to equip the departments better. In this work he was ably seconded 
by Professors Harvey and Conrad. The executive committee of the 
board in 1877 had pointed with pride to the scientihc work of the 
classes of Professors Harvey and Demmler. In his report of that 
year Professor Harvey urged the importance of increasing the 
equipments in physics, chemistry, botany, mineralogy and zoology. 
He asked for an appropriation for the purpose of securing and 
preserving a collection of the plants and animals of the State. He 
also advised the establishment of a system of meteorological observa- 
tions. He was zealous in the work of collecting specimens, using 
students as well as traveling in person over the State. From time to 
time the board appropriated for the laboratories and the library. The 
small sums allowed seem to have been wisely expended. The 
botanical and mineralogical collections of Professor Harvey were 
especially good ; the work was systematically done, and the specimens 
remain a part of the permanent equipments of the university. 

The library grew slowly. After 1877 it was opened at regular 
hours in the day. Student librarians were used, though even they had 
to be dispensed with for lack of funds in 1877. Soon they were 
restored, and under the supervision of Professor Conrad they looked 
after the library. In 1879 the librarian reports 739 volumes, while 
five years later there were 2,120. At first students could consult 
books in the library only ; later they were allowed to take them out 
on the written order of the teacher. In 1879 the legislature 
appropriated $1,000 for the library. 



114 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

The University and the State. 

The relation of the university to the State during Genera] Hill's 
administration, while not what it should be, improved somewhat. 
The executive committee of the board in 1877 complained of the lack 
of a proper understanding of the character and magnitude of the 
university by the people of the .State. This, they thought, was in 
part due to prejudice engendered by disgraced students and dis- 
appointed aspirants for positions. The committee therefore advised 
that the board put an agent in the field to advertise the university 
and to solicit endowment, books and geological and botanical 
specimens. The suggestion was not adopted. The board of visitors 
in 1877 advised a closer connection between the university and the 
schools, saying that a certificate should pass a student from the high 
school into college classes. The committee moreover thought that 
competitive examinations should be held in the various schools, and 
rewards ofi^ered for the best prepared students. Probably growing 
out of this suggestion, the board the following year provided that 
honorary scholarships should be given to all students passing the 
entrance examinations to the freshman class. The state teachers' 
association in 1879 passed a resolution asking for a closer relationship 
between the university and the public schools. With this in view 
it advised an examination board consisting of two members of the 
faculty and two to be named by the superintendent of public instruc- 
tion whose duty it should be to conduct entrance examinations in 
different parts of the State. It was hoped that this would bring the 
schools into closer touch with the university. While the faculty 
endorsed the plan, the board felt that the time for such a movement 
was not ripe. 

Degrees and Standards. 

General Hill's administration is also marked by some changes in 
the courses of study. Greek was required for the B. A. degree, 
beginning with the sub-freshman class of 1878. This rule was 
changed in 1883 and the Greek became optional. The board in 1877 
directed that all beneficiaries be required to take a course in agri- 
culture and mechanics. In 1878-79 it was arranged for the normal 
graduates to receive the B. L. degree. This did not last long. The 



ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HILL. 115 

following" year it was taken from the normals and bestowed upon 
the graduates of the modern language course. In 1879 the B. S. 
course was outlined, which substituted French and German for 
Latin and Greek in entrance requirements, and the sciences for the 
ancient classics in the college department. In June, 1880, upon the 
recommendation of the faculty a number of changes were made in 
the course of study and new^ courses introduced. The following' 
courses were announced : the classical, Latin letters, modern 
languages, English letters, normal, scientific, agricultural, civil 
engineering, and mining engineering. Corresponding to these courses 
were the following degrees : B. A., B. Lat. Let., B. L., B. Eng. Let., 
B. S., B. S. A., C. E., M. E. The president, in transmitting the 
recommendations of the faculty, said that women usually had no 
wish to take "mathematical and scientific studies of a high grade," 
or "to devote their time to the more abstruse and difficult branches 
of study." Some of the courses were therefore provided for the 
benefit of those not caring to take the classical, scientific, or 
engineering courses. 

In fact, trouble arose over the movement to raise the standard 
of scholarship in the university. In 1881 the students petitioned 
the board to remove Professor Conrad, partly because his require- 
ments were so high that they had but little time for other subjects. 
The alumni association, fearing the effect of such a movement, came 
forward with a counter resolution endorsing the efforts of the faculty 
to maintain standards. This, however, did not settle the question, 
f(U- in June of the following year the board of visitors investigated 
the complaints and among other things said in their report : "We 
find that the high standard set up by Professor Conrad has greatly 
diminished the present graduating class, and has driven off' numbers 
from the junior class, for the last two years until there only remains 
three to constitute the next senior class." The trustees in turn 
investigated the subject and reported the same findings. They called 
upon him to cease lecture methods and to reduce the amount of 
work required of his students. This he seems to have done, as no 
further complaint on that subject appears. In 1882 the board, upon 
the recommendation of President Hill, graduated two young men who 
had failed, but at the same tinie passed a resolution declaring that 



116 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



thereafter a student failing- to secure the recommendation of all 
professors instructing him should be given a certificate only. The 
board further directed that the president be regarded as the head of 
the B. A. department and that the professors in faculty meeting 
distribute the other departments among themselves, the major work 
of a professor determining the department to be assigned to him. 
It was moreover provided that upon the recommendation of five 
professors with whom a student had had work, he should receive the 
degree of Bachelor of Philosophy. 

The normal department during this period received some aid from 
the Peabody fund. In 1878 the board rescinded the rule requiring 
normal students to take the pledge to teach two years. However, 
the department gradually lost its original importance. When 
General Hill entered upon his duties the university had been without 
a military officer detailed by the general government since the 
retirement of Lieutenant Curtis in 1876. From 1876 to 1878 the board, 
through Governors Garland and Miller, tried to secure a detail. 
Governor Miller in June, 1878, reported that the war department 
refused to detail a man because no officer could be spared from the 
service. In 1878 the war department directed the return of the 
ordnance in default of the university having- a United States officer 
in charge of the military department. Protests of university 
authorities secured a stay in the execution of the order. The board 
and the president made repeated efforts to secure a detail, but 
without avail. Col. O. C. Gray, professor of mathematics, acted as 
commandant of cadets throughout most of the administration. 

Up until 1878 all students who were neither beneficiaries nor 
normals were required to pay tuition. In 1878 the faculty called the 
board's attention to the fact that students were leaving and going 
to other univeristies on account of tuition. Accordingly the board 
made the entire collegiate department free. At the same time they 
increased the possible beneficiaries from 237 to 350, the number of 
normal appointments remaining 237. In 1881 the trustees authorized 
the faculty to appoint sixty indigent beneficiaries, and in 1882 
increased the possible beneficiaries to 600 and the normals to 400. 



ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HILL. 117 

The county judge made the appointments. The professors were 
required by the board to teach six hours a day. In 1878 the faculty 
changed the length of recitation periods from one hour to forty-five 
minutes. This regulation continued for several years. The prepara- 
tory department was moved in 1877 from the old frame building- to 
University Hall. In June, 1884, the first official reference is made to 
football. The students petitioned the board of trustees to set apart 
two and a half acres as grounds for baseball and football and to 
appropriate for its improvement. The board instructed the regent 
to set apart the grounds desired, but to expend no money on its 
improvement. 

University Sunday School. 

The early official acts of General Hill were characteristic. The 
first was a motion in the executive committee of the board to purchase 
song- books for the use of students at chapel. Another was to open 
faculty meetings with prayer. He was a devout Christian, and his 
administration was characterized with the Christian spirit. Two 
chapel exercises were conducted daily, one in the morning- and one at 
the close of the last recitation period. General Hill conducted a 
Sunday school at the chapel each Sunday afternoon for several years. 
Attendance was made obligatory by action of the board upon all 
students not having conscientious scruples. The whole school was 
taught by the president. It was kept up until 1883, when at his 
suggestion it was discontinued and a roll call substituted, though the 
latter was not a success. In his last report President Hill said that 
the university in 1883-84 had missed the conservative influence of the 
Sunday school, that it had been one of the most potent forces in 
preserving order and in maintaining- discipline. "But," said he, "as 
the church was more opposed to the Sunday school than even the 
heathen and infidels, I recommended last June that it should be 
abolished." In the spring of 1881 the faculty gave permission for the 
organization of a Young Men's Christian Association, and a room 
was assigned it. In 1880, upon the approval of the faculty, an anti- 
copying society was organized among the students. It was a secret 
organization, its members being known only to each other and to 



118 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

the faculty. Offences against honesty were to be reported to the 
faculty for trial and punishment. It does not seem to have had 
much vitality. It soon disappeared. Literary societies were encour- 
aged. The faculty in 1880 required all students to join a literary 
society. The time of meeting was Friday afternoon for a few years. 
In 1883 the board fixed Saturday afternoon for their meetings. 
Separate societies were organized for preparatory and collegiate 
students. In 1878 the board directed that the old college building- 
be repaired and fitted for a boarding- house, to be called steward's 
hall. It accommodated about thirty-eight students. The board or 
the president selected a steward and fixed the price at which he 
could charge students for board. This varied from $5.50 to $7.00 
per month. The purpose was to keep the cost of living low, 
especially for the benefit of the poor. 

Local Influence. 

Local influences threatened the welfare of the university in the 
early eighties. Of the eight members of the board in 1880 five lived 
at Fayetteville or in its neighborhood. The executive committee, 
which employed teachers and had general charge of the institution, 
was made up entirel}^ of local men, unless the president of the 
university is an exception. About half of the teaching force was 
drawn from Fayetteville. The board of visitors called attention to 
this evil in their report in June, 1880. They discovered a lack of 
harmony in the trustees and protested against the selection of more 
than one local trustee. They added, "Local boards are subject to 
local influences, and will not grapple with local difficulties so fully 
as those living remote from the university." The question assumed 
an acute form in the autumn of 1880, when the executive committee 
used a local man instead of a strong applicant from the University 
of Virginia to fill the principalship of the preparatory department 
made vacant by the resignation of Professor Russell. This action 
called forth a protest signed by Governor Miller, Grandison D. 
Royston, W. E. Thompson and A. W. Dinsmore, four members of 
the board. Mr. Dinsmore of Bentonville, though a local man and a 
member of the executive committee, signed the protest. It was 
further endorsed by the faculty. The protest noted a cry for a 



ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HILL. 119 



recoi^nition of "home talent" in the appointment of teachers, a demand 
by churches for special consideration, and the growth of a tendency 
in the executive committee to allow local influences to control official 
action, especially in the selection of teachers. It pointed out that the 
university existed for the benefit of the entire State, that such a policy 
would lower standards and would strengthen the prejudice already 
existing over the State that the university was a local institution 
administered in the interest of Fayetteville, a condition making it 
almost impossible to secure appropriations for its support. They 
w^ere therefore of the opinion that the committee and the board should 
divorce the university absolutely from local influences and administer 
it as a great public trust. 

Governor Miller, in his message to the general assembl}- in 1881, 
advised a complete reorganization of the board so as to free the 
university from the control of local influences. But it was not until 
March 7, 1883, that the legislature acted upon the suggestion. It 
then reorganized the board by providing that it should consist of 
the governor, the superintendent of public instruction, the president 
of the university, and six others to be appointed by the governor 
subject to the confirmation of the senate, one from each congressional 
district and one from Washington County. The governor was 
authorized to appoint the new board at once and it was to enter 
upon the discharge of its duties in June. Under this act the following 
board was appointed : Joseph W. Martin. Little Rock ; J. T. Bearden, 
Camden; J. P. Eagle, Lonoke; Chas. Cofifin, Walnut Ridge; George 
J. Crump, Harrison; Thomas M. Gunter, Fayetteville. 

Government. 

In the government of the university General Hill was a dominating 
figure. He was a masterful man, strong and positive in his convic- 
tions, and uncompromising where principles were involved. In 
administering discipline he knew no man in the flesh. To him the 
son of the governor was no more than, that of the humblest citizen. 
For instance, the third Monday after the opening of the university in 
1877, he called the faculty together, expelled several boys for drunken- 
ness and announced it at chapel the same morning. One or two of the 
boys belonged to prominent families in the State, special efforts were 



120 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

made to induce the faculty to rescind the action. The governor's 
influence was invoked and a suit to compel restoration was instituted 
against the facult}^, but without avail. An ex-member of the supreme 
court and of the board of trustees had the same experience in the case of 
the expulsion of his son. The old system of the executive committee 
interfering- in the internal government of the university soon ceased 
after General Hill assumed control. In his report to the board in 
1879 he said that the internal affairs of the institution should be 
left to the faculty. At the same time he supported his recom- 
mendation by placing before the board for their enlightenment letters 
on the subject from the leading college and university presidents in 
the country. The trustees were convinced, and at a later meeting- 
authorized the faculty to control "in all matters educational and 
■disciplinary, without interference from an}' other source.'' The 
reports of President Hill to the board were always strong. They 
were filled with the results of his comparative studies of higher 
institutions of learning. He kept himself and the board informed 
respecting the organization and operation of the leading colleges and 
universities of the country. 

The demerit svstem, which had been introduced under President 
Bishop but was later discarded by President Gates, was revived by 
General Hill. That and the monitorial svstem were used throughout 
his administration. The scale of demerits occupies two typewritten 
pages in the faculty minutes ; besides, additions were made from time 
to time as offences not hitherto thought of occurred. President Hill 
himself thought the system an excellent one for college discipline. 
Students were not permitted to attend the theater except on Friday 
and Saturday nights between terms. The faculty kept in close touch 
with the students. At faculty meeting each week the roll of students 
was called and delinquents noted, or professors reported the 
delinquents in their classes. The president followed this up by 
interviewing- such students, and if necessary reported them to their 
parents or guardians. If efforts at reform proved futile the 
student was invited to withdraw. It seems that faculty meetings at 
times became tiresome, for we find the professors themselves passing 



ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HILL. 121 



rules liniiiin-;- tlic meetings to one hour and restricting debate b\' not 
jierniitting- a professor to speak more than twice on the same subject. 
At times the faculty appear to have had generous impulses, for on 
one occasion, when a few seniors failed to pass the examinations, 
while refusing them the !>. A. degree. the\- created a special committee 
to examine them "and determine whether there be any degree to 
which they are entitled." After due deliberation it was decided to 
confer the W. L. degree upon them. Drilling the senior class prepara- 
tor\- for commencement was an important business. Some professor 
was assigned to this task early in the year. In January, 1882, the 
uni\ersity sutYered from a small-pox scare which caused about one 
hundred students to leave. 

Attkxd.vxck. 

During part of this period the unixersity grew in numbers, (ieneral 
Hill's standard of judging an institution was not numl)ers ; on the 
contrary, he repeatedly emphasized the contrary. For instance, in 
his report of 1880 he said that the true standard of measurement was 
"the high character of its facultw their teaching- ability ami their 
disciplinary power." Another element was the students, their habits 
of study, sense of honor and character. Yet he took some pride in 
showing the growth in attendance during the first three years of his 
service. The record ft>r his administration is: 

\Sj/-/S iSjS-jg 1879-80 1880-81 1882-83 1883-84 

College .students 96 148 150 IJO yj 83 

Preparatory students 160 232 300 306 298 240 

Others 40 o 15 40 

Total 256 420 450 426 j;j2 363 

The attendance in 1881-82 was 363. The board of trustees said 
then that the falling ofif was due to three causes — drought, small-pox 
and the elevation of the standard of the institution. In his report 
in June, 1883. President 11 ill pointed out that notwithstanding the 
reduced enrollment the Unixersity of Arkansas ranked high in jioint 



122 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

of attendance. In support of this he submitted statistics, some of 
which are here given. 

University of Arkansas Zl^ students 

" " Missouri .512 '' 

Cornell 384 " 

University of Mississippi 259 " 

Nebraska 284 " 

Minnesota 253 " 

Tennessee 225 " 

Michigan 216 " 

North Carolina 199 " 

Texas 127 " 

Washington and Lee 132 " 

The enrollment of 450 in 1879-80 was the hig-h-water mark of his 
administration. This, he said, was for that year fourth in point of 
attendance among higher institutions of learning in the United States. 
Even in June, 1884, he was able to say that the attendance at the 
university was third among the universities of the South, Vanderbilt 
and the University of Missouri alone having larger numbers. 

It should be said in passing that during this period the third and 
fourth stories of University Hall were completed and occupied, that 
the old college building was fitted up as a boarding house, and that the 
teaching force was increased from ten to sixteen. 

Administration Under Fire. 

The falling off in attendance during the last three years of his 
administration was keenly felt by General Hill. He attributed it 
primarily to the introduction into the university of two principles 
from the University of Virginia, namely: (1) high standard of 
scholarship required for graduation and (2) indifference on the part 
of the faculty as to the moral character and conduct of students 
outside of the class room. The University of Virginia did have able 
representatives in the faculty and in the breach this influence was 
thrown against the president. General Hill was not opposed to high 
standards, but insisted on a gradual, not a sudden, raising of standards. 
Internal dissensions within the faculty were doubtless a contributing 
cause of the decrease in numbers. Knowledge of the strife among 
the teachers reached the students and the public and greatly damaged 



ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HILL. 123 



the reputation of the university. Cliarges and counter-charges were 
industriously spread from mouth to mouth by busy partisans until 
they reached the public through the press. It did not take long for 
complaints to become general and for the public to come to the 
conclusion that there was something" radically wrong with the 
university. All manner of changes were made, and by July, 1883, the 
newspapers were freely discussing the university situation. It was said 
that the university was a rich man's college, that the classical courses 
dominated everything, that the original purpose of the land grant act, 
an agricultural and mechanical institution, was lost sight of, that the 
government was a military despotism. The reorganization of the 
board of trustees by the legislature in 1883 in part grew out of this 
feeling of dissatisfaction. The demerit and monitorial systems came 
in for a large share in the criticisms. It was said that students were 
demerited and sent home for trivial offences, that the system of 
monitors was a form of espionage, that sufficient liberty was not 
granted students, that the president was making the institution 
sectarian through the Sunday school, and that the university was in 
a decadent condition. The fight on the Sunday school led to its 
abandonment in 1883. Over against these criticisms were emphatic 
denials of their validity. No one was more positive regarding the 
wisdom of the demerit and the monitorial systems than was the 
president himself. He urged that the demerit system was just and 
democratic, that instead of the monitorial system being a form of 
espionage, it was a system of self-government and that both were in 
use in the best governed institutions of the country. Doubtless all 
of these causes contributed to the falling off in attendance. 

The Great Breach. 

The first three years of General Hill's administration were peaceful 
as well as successful ; the last three years were stormy. Dift'erences 
in the faculty began to develop as early as 1881 ; they continued to 
grow, and by 1883 they had developed into a great breach. On one 
side was President Hill with his friends ; on the other side was a 
group of teachers with Professor Conrad as their leader. Both men 
were positive characters. Neither was disposed to yield. At first 
Professor Conrad led the movement for a high standard of scholarship 



124 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

and was so exacting- as to bring- down on himself the wrath of the 
students. The petition for his removal in 1881 brought President Hill 
to his rescue, though he did not approve the professor's high standards. 
The following year, however, the visitors and the trustees complained 
loudly of his heavy demands on the students' time and the board called 
upon him to lower his standards. AVhile he changed his attitude in 
the matter of standards, he seems to have developed an animus against 
the president and some thought sought to displace him. Whatever 
the cause he led the fight on General Hill within the university and 
soon developed a strong following. The new board in June, 1883, 
was expected to do something to heal the breach. However, the 
waters were disturbed at this meeting when Professor Conrad sent 
a communication, meritorious in itself, direct to the board instead of 
through the hands of the president, as the regulations required. The 
trustees probably thought that they had permanently healed the breach 
when they passed a resolution strongly endorsing President Hill as a 
man preeminently qualified for the position which he held, compli- 
menting the faculty for their distinguished services in "art, literature 
and science," and urging "a harmonious and conscientious cooperation" 
in the government of the universit}^ The members of the faculty were 
warned that "any wilful and persistent deviation from this course" 
v^ould receive the disapproval and condemnation of the board. 

If the board thought this would calm the disturbed waters, a later 
storm rudely undeceived them. Before the year was half gone it was 
apparent that in his own faculty General Hill was in the minority, 
and that Professor Conrad had a controlling- influence. This was 
shown in the famous trial for "drunkenness, riot, and assault" on 
J. L. Taff. It seems that on the night of January 11, 1884, there was 
a disturbance in the University Hall, in which four seniors and one 
junior participated. They were charged with drunkenness and assault 
on J. L. Taff, a senior. The trouble probably arose out of the growing 
'dissatisfaction with the monitorial system. It was attacked from 
without and within as an antiquated system. AA/'hen it became 
unpopular, many students when on duty as monitors would not report 
■delinquencies that came under their observations, and the student 
who was faithful to duty incurred the displeasure of the students. 
Mr. Taff was one of this class. AVhether the attack on Taff was an 



ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HILL. 125 

"assault" as charged, or was "simple teasing," as the faculty defined 
it, is not clear, because the evidence taken has disappeared. In any 
case the president and the majority of the faculty were hopelessly 
divided. The president insisted that the accused were guilty and 
should be summarily punished; the majority of the faculty did not 
consider the case serious. The trial lasted for several weeks, and in 
one form or another the case was before the faculty until June. The 
young- men were demerited for ill treatment of Taff and for being- out 
of their rooms. The faculty meetings were spicy. Charges and counter- 
charges were indulged in freely. The president charged that certain 
members of the faculty became the attorneys of the accused, that they 
browbeat prosecuting witnesses, and that they espoused the cause of 
lawlessness in the university. The faculty entered a denial of the 
charge. The case was aggravated by petty annoyances and persecu- 
tions to which Mr. Taff was subjected for the remainder of the year. 
The matter was officially brought before the board in June by the 
president and by an appeal of Mr. Taff. The latter charged individual 
members of the faculty with open partisanship in the trial. The 
l)oard, however, dismissed the case as not warranting their inter- 
ference. President Hill's annual report to the board discussed the 
whole university situation and declared that the falling off in 
attendance and the internal troubles had their origin in two principles 
imported from the University of Virginia, namely, (1) an exceedingly 
high standard of scholarship re(|uired for graduation and (2) a total 
indifference on the part of the professors as to the conduct of students 
outside of the class room. While the first cause had been removed, 
the results would remain for years. The second principle he held 
responsible for the spirit of lawlessness that had pervaded the 
students for the past si.x months. He also insisted that individual 
members of the faculty were in part responsible for this condition. 
While General Hill may have lacked tact and flexibility of character, 
and while he may have shown some of the weaknesses incident to 
old age and ill-health, on the other hand the least that can be said is 
that some members of the faculty were insubordinate, disloyal and 
lacking in respect due the age and illustrious character of the president. 



126 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Retirement of General Hill. 

General Hill had sought to be relieved of the duties of the 
presidency for two years. Before the meeting of the board in June, 
1882, he had made known his purpose to resign. Two years before 
he had had an attack of pneumonia in Little Rock and since that 
time his health had been poor. Besides, he was getting- old, and the 
loss of a daughter a few months prior to his resignation had been a 
severe blow to both himself and his wife. But the people were not 
willing that he should retire. The press, the supreme court, the 
Arkansas delegation in Congress, the governor and the trustees and 
the board of visitors all joined in an appeal that he remain. He finally 
yielded to the call. However, he never again gained complete mastery 
of the situation. He could not bring to the problems before the 
university the strength of former years. He was right in resigning; 
he ought to have been allowed to retire in 1882. He would have been 
saved the humiliating experiences of 1884. February 8, 1884, he sent 
to the executive committee his resignation "on account of ill-health 
and other causes." He preferred to be relieved at once. After getting 
his consent to serve until June, the committee on March the 12th 
accepted his resignation. Both the committee and the board spread 
on their minutes resolutions bearing testimony to his great character 
and splendid public services. This closed a great administration. It 
was made so by its truly great head. While the unfortunate troubles 
of the last two years marred its brilliancy, yet above the passions 
engendered by the factional strifes stand the great intellect and 
character of Hill. He left his impress upon the students and the State 
as but few men have ever done. 



CH APTER IX. 

ADMINISTRATION OF COLONEL EDGAR. 



When in January, 1884, the executive committee accepted the 
resignation of General Hill, they announced the vacancy and solicited 
appHcations. At their meeting in June following, the board selected 
Colonel George M. Edgar, LL. D.. of Kentucky, to fill the vacant 
post. President Edgar was a Virginian b}^ birth and had received 
his education in the Virginia Military Institute and in the University of 
Virginia. He had served as professor and president in a number of 
colleges in Florida, Mrginia, North Carolina. Mississippi and 
Kentucky. Moreover, he had won distinction in the Civil War. 

The New Code. 

The new president was confronted with difficult problems. He 
inherited from his predecessor a family quarrel. The board retained 
the faculty of General Hill, the bitter controversy in which had 
divided the students, the local community and to an extent the State. 
The newspapers continued to discuss the "university situation." 
Moreover an agrarian movement developed which made demands upon 
the university. To have guided this movement or to have satisfied its 
demands would have taxed the resources of a stronger man. To add 
to his troubles the general assembly continued to regard the university 
as a small enterprise and unworthy of liberal support. Before the 
board adjourned Colonel Edgar came on and met with them. They 
took steps to strengthen the hands of the president. Hitherto in 
official documents the head of the institution frequently had been 
styled "president of the faculty," probably copying after the University 
of Virginia, where the faculty merely had a chairman. The board 
pledged the new president to support him against attacks from within 
or without, and to remove any officer who might prove incompetent 
or insubordinate. Moreover they made the president, assisted by 
the commandant, responsible for the efficiency of the military 
organization and for the good order in the buildings and on the 



130 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

grounds. He was made chief military authority in the luiiversity. 
and the comnKuulant A\as directed to enforce the general rules of 
the institution and the orders of the president. 

Colonel Edgar also secured an order from the board directing- the 
framing of a code of regtdations more accurately defining the duties 
of the president, professors and students. This code was framed by 
the faculty in the auttimn and later adopted by the executive committee 
and the board. It is a voluminous document, and if detailed rules 
cotdd solve the problems before the universit}-. a brighter day was 
ahead. The sexes were segregated as far as possible and no com- 
munication between them was permitted. All students were required 
to sit in stud}- halls. Classes at given signals marched b}- sexes to 
and from recitation rooms. Daily drills of thirty minutes were 
substituted for hour drills two days in the week. The demerit system 
in a nuxlified form was retained. Professors were required to report 
daily to the commandant all delinquencies coming under their observa- 
tions. Each instructor was required to make out a minute weekly 
report to the president. gi\-ing the ground co\-ered and the progress 
made by each class and by each pupil. Examinations were placed 
under stricter rules ; at least three officers were required to be in 
attendance at each examination. The president showed zeal in visiting 
and inspecting class work and in his efforts to super\-ise all depart- 
ments. There was probably too much supervision. However, tlie 
president in his annual report in I880 was quite well pleased with the 
rules, saying that while they provoked criticism at first, their wisdom 
had been demonstrated. 

Old Facultv Onei^throwx. 

At the request of the board President Edgar spent part of the 
summer of 1884 in addressing the people in difi'erent parts of the 
State. The work of the faculty the first year was more satisfactory 
than the \ear before. [Moreover, there were no opet^ ruptures nor 
serious disturbances among the students. However, the new 
administration did not have the confidence and the hearty cooperation 
of all of the subordinates. In the fall and winter public criticisms 
of the new regime appeared in the press. The new regulations 
received merelv half-hearted conformance at the hands of some of 



ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT EDGAR 131 

llic i)r()fcss()rs and were ohiioxions to many of the students. lUit the 
president did not file complaint. The storm came from without. Tlie 
friends of ( leneral Mill t lirdui^hi )nt the State felt that he had heen 
wroni^ed hv certain memhers of his faculty, that they were in part 
responsible f<ir his resi<;"nation, and that they instead of the ])resident 
should ha\e t^one in 1<S84. In this they were probably encoura,i;ed 
bv ])uni4ent letti'rs from the pen of their hero himself. In any case 
the\' demanded that the general assembly of 188.S order a complete 
reoriL;ani/.ation of the university. They enlisted in the fi^ht Confederate 
soldiers who could not bear the thoui^ht of a p(jssible wr(jn^- to cnie 
of their idols. The visiting- committee (jf the ley^islature made an 
cxhaustixe in\csti,L;ation and re])orted that they failed to find discord, 
that the discipline was ofxxj ainl that the work was satisfactory. They 
insisted that there was no foimdation for the reported dissensions 
becpieathed by the old administration. 

The friends of ( ieneral Mill, however, succeeded. They secured 
the passage of a jt»int resolution dated April 1, 1.SS5. requiring the 
l)oard to reorganize the university. The resolution declared that the 
management of the institution was unsatisfactory, directed the board 
"to lower the course of study in the collegiate department to the 
former standard; to give enlarged ])owers to the president and to hold 
him responsible for the management ; to reorganize the faculty, retain- 
ing the president and to keep the faculty reduced to the number 
required to meet the necessity according to the number of ])ui)ils in the 
collegiate department." 

New l*".\cur/rv. 

The board regarded the resolution as practically mandatory to 
remove all members of the faculty save the president. Accordingly, 
on June 9 the}- xacated all chairs, reorganized the departments so as 
to reduce the number of professors from nine to seven, and adjourned 
to meet at Little Rock July 5 for the purpose of electing a faculty. 
Before adjourning the board instructed the president and the secretary 
to give i)ublic notice of the rearrangement of chairs and to call for 
applications. At the adjourned meeting they spent three days in 
electing a facult}'. The llrst mo\e appeared conservatixe and indicated 
that they wotdd ])rol)ably retain part of the old facidt}'. for they 



132 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

elected Professor Leverett to the chair of ancient languages. But on 
the third day this action was reconsidered and he was dropped. They 
passed a resolution saying that their action in vacating the positions 
was no reflection on the professors and added, "Our whole purpose 
was to pass entirely out of the atmosphere of any dissensions that 
have in the past interfered with the usefulness and purposes of the 
institution." 

Howard Edwards. A. M., was elected to the chair of English 
and modern languages. Professor Edwards was a Virginian by 
birth, an A. M. graduate of Randolph-Macon College and a special 
student of the University of Leipzig. He had been a teacher and 
principal of two or three high-grade academies. He retained his 
position in Arkansas until 1890, when he accepted the same position 
in the Michigan x\gricultural College. He resigned this position two 
years later to accept the presidency of the Rhode Island State College, 
a position which he still occupies. Edward H. Murfee, a Virginian 
by birth, was elected to the chair of pure mathematics. He was an 
A. M. graduate of the University of Alabama, had filled the chair of 
military engineering in his alma mater and later had organized the 
Mississippi Military Institute, from which institution he came to the 
University of Arkansas. He became acting president in 1887 and was 
president from 1888 to 1894. Since leaving Arkansas he has filled 
various educational positions, now being dean of the faculty at 
Brenau College, Gainesville, Georgia. Jay Manuel Whitham, a 
graduate of the naval academy, was elected professor of applied 
mathematics and commandant of cadets. He remained at the 
university until 1891, since which time he has been engaged in practical 
engineering, with headquarters at Philadelphia. J. E. Howell, A. M., 
a Virginian by birth, was elected principal of the normal department. 
He received his education in Virginia and served in the Confederate 
army throughout the war. He came to Arkansas in 1873 and was 
connected with private and public schools until 1885. He remained 
in the university until 1898. George D. Purinton, a graduate of West 
Virginia University, was chosen professor of chemistry, mineralogy, 
geology and biology. He had filled various educational positions 
before coming to Arkansas. After leaving the university he filled for 
a time the chair of chemistry in the University of Missouri and later 



ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT EDGAR. 133 



practiced niecHcine at St. Louis until his death in 1(S98. Richard 
Henry W'ilHs, a University of Virt^inia man, was elected to fill the 
chair of ancient languai^es and ancient history. After filling- this 
position a few years, he left the university. In 1891 he returned as 
professor of English and modern languages, which position he held 
until 1898. Professor Willis was a strong man and a useful member 
of the faculty. 

The resolution of the legislature and the action of the board under 
it gave rise to bitter criticism, especially of the board and of the 
president. The new faculty, however, was cpiite as strong as the 
one dis])laced. Within a year both the president and the board found 
themselves congratulating the State upon the happy selections. The 
reduction in the number of teachers threw too much work upon the 
instructors. Hie new faculty, however, was (|uile loyal to the 
president. At their first meeting they tendered him their warmest 
sympathy and i)ledged him their hearty cooperaticMi. Again cju 
November 21 they spread on their minutes another resolution express- 
ing their confidence in him and their readiness to perform any duty 
assigned to them. 1'lie following June they are again ready to 
cooperate with him and are entirely satisfied with his work. In the 
light of recent events these resolutions may have had a meaning not 
apparent on the surface. V>y reason of restored harmony the faculty 
situation became decidedly better and the morals of the students 
improved. 

Standards and Degrees. 

The visiting committee from the legislature in 1885 took up the 
much debated question of the falling off of college students. They 
came to the conclusion that it was due to the high standards and 
therefore advised the lowering of entrance recpiirements so as to 
include the then sub-freshman year in the freshman class. By such 
a coup they said the number of collegiate students would be doubled. 
W'hy such a 1)rilliant idea had not been acted upon sooner, the 
committee did not understand. The president had previously 
submitted that among other questions about reorganization to the 
faculty, but all professors except Conrad had advised against lowering 
entrance requirements. The legislative resolution calling for a 



134 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

lowering- of standards seems to have been left by the board to the 
faculty for such action as they deemed best. The faculty do not 
seem to have faced the question squarely. They took no official 
action on the subject and for two years made no statement regarding 
entrance requirements. President Edgar tried an experiment in the 
preparatory department by dropping the name and by dividing the 
classes, calling the two just below the college department the high 
school and all below these the grammar school. He thought such 
a plan would improve the spirit and discipline of the department. 
He also transferred the control of the preparatory department to 
the principal of the normal department. Both plans were dropped 
after a year's trial. 

For the first fifteen years in the history of the university, while 
some graduate work had nominally been done, no course of study 
for graduate students had been outlined. In 1886 the faculty 
announced graduate courses leading to the A. M. and Ph. D. degrees. 
Candidates for the master's degree must have previously taken the 
bachelor's degree and were required to spend a year in residence 
and to complete a course prescribed by the faculty. Two years of 
graduate work were required for the doctor's degree, the last of 
which must be at the university. In addition a thesis and a reading- 
knowledge of German and French were required. In July, 1885, the 
curriculum was recast so as to provide for four technical and three 
general courses. The technical courses were agriculture, normal, 
engineering and business ; the general courses were English, general 
science and language. 

Several efforts were made to revive the commercial course. In 
1885 a two-year business course was announced, leading to the 
distinction. Graduate in Commercial Science. It was based on the 
common school branches plus industrial art. bookkeeping, commercial 
law, and lectures on psychology, ethics, and political science. The 
same course, somewhat modified, was announced again the following- 
year. Just why in December, 1886, when this course was standing 
in the catalogue. President Edgar should have thought it necessary 
to propose to the board "a business course of two years, to meet the 
wants of those who wish to prepare themselves for commercial pur- 
suits" is not clear. He was persuaded that such a course would be 
"both popular and useful," but no action was taken on his proposi- 



ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT EDGAR. 135 

tions. The following June (1887) there were eleven graduates in the 
business course. In 1891 the legislature appropriated $1,500 "for the 
establishment of a commercial department," but the department does 
not seem ever to have materialized. Indeed, the facult}- and board 
seem to have taken no notice of the appropriation. 

Notwithstanding the great amount of legislation by the State, the 
l)r)ard and the faculty, the attendance gradually declined. 

Attexdaxce. 

1884-85 1885-86 1886-87 

College 67 68 T] 

Preparatory 246 245 213 

Others 52 41 y] 

365 354 2>^1 

Hie appropriation in 1885 was also disappointing. Though the 
board had asked for a liberal appropriation so as to make possible 
tlie enlargement of the facilities for industrial and agricultural 
education, the legislature cut out all such items and allowed $39,800 
for maintenance. The governor in view of the financial condition of 
the State advised against much of the appropriation asked for by 
the board. ^ . 

1 HE A(;R.\RI.\.\ AiON'EMEXT. 

From time to time artificial stimulants had been applied with a 
view to developing some interest in agriculture and mechanic arts. 
They had totally failed in the case of agriculture and had met with 
only partial success in engineering. The executive committee in a 
report to the l)oard in 1884 thought it important that agriculture and 
mechanic arts be made prominent in the management of the univer- 
sity, but the funds at the disposal of the board made it impossible. 
The next legislature was asked for a special appropriation for 
tlie agricultural and industrial departments, but this was refused. 
Tliroughout President Edgar's administration a course in industrial 
art for girls was ofl:'ered. It embraced drawing, designing, modeling, 
working in wood, metal and cla}'. In announcing the course in 1884 
the faculty confidently believed that the "new education, in which 
manual training shall go pari passu with the intellectual and the moral 
* * * will be the education of the future." The industrial art 



136 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

offered is the only serious eft"ort ever made by the university 
authorities to provide industrial education of any kind for the young 
women. 

The president in his report to the board in 1886 frankly admitted 
that, although branches relating- to agriculture and mechanics arts 
had been taught, "little has yet been done towards applying the 
principles of science to the solution of the practical problems involved 
in the successful cultivation of the soil, or in the development of the 
mechanic arts." Upon the legislature he properly placed a large 
share of the responsibility for this failure because of the inadequacy 
of the appropriations. In this connection he showed that since the 
organization of the university the total state appropriation for it 
amounted to only $208,111, $111,386.76 of which was for site, 
buildings and equipments, leaving merely $96,724.24 for current 
expenses, or only $6,448 annually. Mississippi from 1880 to 1886 
had paid out $726,038.66 for higher education, or over $100,000 a year. 
It was therefore a question whether the State wanted industrial 
education bad enough to pay for it. 

But notwithstanding the failure of the legislature in 1885 to 
appropriate for agriculture and mechanic arts as requested, the board 
undertook to provide modest equipments in these fields anyway, 
hoping for future support from the legislature. The president in his 
annual report in that year discussed at length the problems before 
the university and advised that a beginning should be made. 
Accordingly, the board appropriated $1,500 for agricultural ecjuip- 
ments, $2,500 for machinery and tools for shops, $500 for the 
industrial arts course for girls, and $600 for the purchase of Professor 
Harvey's collection of plants, fossils and minerals, representing the 
flora and mineral resources of the States. On account of insurance 
risks the shops were ordered out of the basement of University Hall 
and the old armory was converted into a shop and equipped with a 
boiler, forge, tools and machinery. It was ready for use by March, 
1886. In the field of agriculture. Professor Purinton analyzed 
fertilizers and started experiments in oats, corn and fruit-growing. 
The board at their meeting in June, 1886, were pleased with the 
progress made. 



ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT EDGAR. 137 

This increased activity for industrial education on the part of 
the university authorities was probably stimulated by a politico- 
industrial movement in the State. The movement had its origin in 
agrarian organizations known as the Grange, Brothers of Freedom, 
The Wheel, and Farmers' Alliance, whose platforms called for 
radical reforms in the state government. This movement had been 
in progress for a decade but was just now reaching large proportions. 
Their demands, moreover, included the reorganization of the univer- 
sity. They said that it was the rich man's school, though the acts 
of Congress and of Arkansas upon which it was based designed it 
for the education of the masses in agriculture and the mechanic arts. 
This party came before the general assembly of 1885 with a bill, 
providing for the abolition of the classical department and other 
strictly cultural subjects, the reduction of the number of chairs to 
six, including mathematics, English, modern languages, chemistry, 
with related subjects, physics, agriculture, and mechanic arts. While 
proposed in the interest of science and the industrial arts, the scheme 
betrayed a narrow view of the needs of scientific and industrial 
education in the small teaching force and equipments proposed. The 
bill met a decisive defeat. But two years later the same measure 
slightly modified so as to admit of classical instruction by assistants 
was again introduced to provide facilities for agriculture and engineer- 
ing. Within the two years the agrarian party had grown to large 
proportions and they wielded the controlling influence in the 
legislature of 1887. Though the bill was opposed vigorously by 
President Edgar, the board and others who came to their assistance, 
it passed both houses and became a law. President Edgar being 
out of touch with the new order of things resigned in June. 1887. 



CHAPTER X. 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT MURFEE. 



'Hie inc()niinj4 of i 'resident Murfee was eoincident with, indeed a 
result of, the earrying' out of the reormani/.atiini of the unixersitv as 
provided for in the lci;islative aet of 18S7. 

This aet eontemplated a eoniplete reorLjani/.ation of the university, 
Ijet^innin^ with the b(\ird o{ trustees. It ])ro\i(le(l that the hoard 
slioidd he "eouijiosed of nieniliers to be as e(|uall\- (h\ided as may 
l)e l)etw'een ai;rieuhural, niechanieal, and Hterar\- pursuits of hfe." 
'Idiere were to l)e six trustees (hstrihuted o\er the State \)\ eou^res- 
sional distriets and one at large, and were to hold ol'liee two years. 
The t;ovcrnor was to ])rcside, and vote in eases of a tie. The offices 
of secretary and of treasurer were cond)ined into one and the 
secretary-treasurer was made cust(Klian of "the buildings and grounds 
pertaining to said unix'crsity," as well as of the records and funds. 
It will be obserx'ed that the act ])ut the board completel\- at the mercy 
of the go\eruor every two years. This defect was cured in the 
act o{ 1891. which made the term six years, two retiring ever}- 
two years. 

The act further pro\ided for the reorganization of the facidty and 
a revision of the courses of study. The facidty thereafter was to 
consist of six i:)rofessors, three of whom besides the i)resident should 
be in the literary and scientific de])artment, one of whom should be 
styled the superintendent of agricvdture. and one the su])erintendent 
of mechanic arts. The section dealing with the course of study read 
as follows : 

riu' course (if study iu said UuiwrsitN shall omhrart.' a.nricnltural cliruiistrw 
auiiiial and vc^e'talilr .auaUuny and pliysidlo^y, thr aijplicalion of scii'iu-o aii<l tlu- 
iiK'cliauic arts to practical agriculture in the field, veterinary ;trl, enlouiolo.nw rural 
and household cconoiny and horticulture, practical mechanic arts as taughl in the 
worksliops, the luiglish language and literature, mathematics, civil engineering. 
|)hilosoi)hy, history and bookkeeping, including military tactics and such otlier 
nalural sciences as may he prescribed. That in addition to the above (lescril)ed 
studies, each male student must be compelled, as a part of his education, to work 



140 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

at least three hours each school day, either in the held or workshop, under the 
direction of their respective superintendents ; the proceeds of labor to be paid for 
at such rate as may be prescribed by the board of trustees, to be applied to the 
payment of the board of such students. 

The friends of the existing institution were able to save a little 
of the old order by getting inserted a clause stipulating that the 
trustees were not forbidden to have "taught such higher or other 
studies as are usually taught in universities," but students taking 
any subject other than those mentioned above were required to pay 
tuition. 

This law was due to the granger agitation and may be said 
to have marked the high tide of the movement in Arkansas. The 
bill was drawn by Senator D. E. Barker and was passed by strong- 
majorities, the grangers being masters of the situation, in spite of 
strenuous opposition by President Edgar and the board of trustees. 

Not unnaturally the faculty became alarmed for their own welfare 
and the future of the university. The day after the bill was signed 
they voted to send a letter to the governor requesting him to appoint 
the board and set an early day for their meeting, in order that they 
might have an opportunity, if necessary, to look for other positions. 
Three days later they voted to reconsider this action and to send a 
letter of an entirely different tenor. No mention was made of the 
question of tenure. Attention was called to the fact that three 
members of the board had never seen the university and were 
unacquainted with the faculty ; that a new dormitory was to be 
erected, for which plans and specifications should be provided at an 
early date ; that it was of the highest importance for the future welfare 
of the institution that some outline of policy be announced at once and 
that the course of study be promulgated before the close of the session 
in order to quiet the prevailing unrest among the students and prevent 
a loss of numbers. In view of these facts the governor was urged to 
call a meeting of the board at the university at an early date. Soon 
after signing the bill Governor Hughes proceeded to name the trustees, 
selecting the following gentlemen: W. F. Avera, Camden; W. M. 
Fishback, Fort Smith ; J. W. Keesee, Latour ; James Mitchell, Little 
Rock ; W. B. Welch, Fayetteville ; and C. M. Taylor, South Bend. No 
one of these men had served on the board under the old law. Follow- 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT MURFEE. 141 



ing- the suggestion of the faculty he called a meeting of the board, 
which assembled at Little Rock. April 18, 1887. 

President Edgar attended this meeting and presented a paper 
recommending- a course of study which was merely received and filed. 
The board anncumced their purpose to reorganize the faculty in 
compliance with the law and also that ancient and modern languages 
would continue to be taught. Practically nothing else of consequence 
was done at this meeting except to instruct the executive committee to 
secure plans and specifications for the new dormitory authorized by 
the Barker act and advertise for bids. 

The faculty then took up the matter of the curriculum and worked 
on it at times until after the board adjourned in June. When the 
board came together a committee on curriculum was appointed 
consisting of trustees Mitchell, Welch and Fishback. The committee 
declared that it was the "duty of the faculty, without ignoring other 
studies, to adopt a course which shall have as its leading feature 
instruction in agriculture and the mechanic arts." Again and again 
the committee declared that the main emphasis must be put upon these 
two subjects. "Upon these and the practical results of the farm and 
work shops depend the future of the university. The farm must begin 
to turn out agricultural products, and the mechanical department must, 
in like manner, demonstrate in a practical substantial way the training 
of its students. If literature and the classics are permitted to over- 
shadow the subjects mentioned, the university is doomed. If the 
faculty can demonstrate to the people of Arkansas that practical and 
successful farmers and skilled mechanics and artisans can be graduated 
from an industrial university — rightly named — the jjermanent success 
of that university is assured. This work must be achieved by the 
faculty." 

The committee found it no easy task to formulate a curriculum 
which would comply with the law, which required certain things to be 
taught and about half the student's time to be spent in field and shop 
work, and at the same time allow an "opportunity to study any of 
the numerous subjects usually embraced in the university course." 
In view of these difticulties they appealed to the faculty to submit a 
course. The faculty, having been at work on the matter all the spring 
in view of the fact that they might be called on for such help, were 



142 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

soon ready to report. They offered nine different courses, the 
agricultural (B. S. A.), general science (B. S.), mechanical engineering 
(B. M. E.), civil engineering (B. C. E.), short agricultural course, 
short mechanical arts course, young ladies' course (B. S. or B. Let.), 
classical course (B. A.), and the normal course (L. I.). Any one taking 
either of the last two must pay tuition. 

The noteworthy thing about these courses is the great amount 
of arts and science studies in the so-called agricultural and mechanical 
courses and the manual labor required of classical students. All 
recitations closed at 12 :20 and the afternoon was devoted to "practical 
exercises." The freshman B. A. devoted the morning hours to 
algebra, English, Greek, or French, physics, and Latin, and the 
afternoon to "farm or shop," "draw and drill." The faculty, never 
enthusiastic for these "practical exercises," induced the legislature 
of 1891, through the efforts of Senator Tillman, to abolish them for 
all above freshmen. In 1892 the faculties of instruction were divided 
into "schools," namely, of agriculture, of mechanic arts and engineer- 
ing, of science, of liberal arts, the normal school, and the university 
high school (preparatory). A year later "college" replaces "school," 
and a "dean" was elected for each, but this was not kept up. 

Following out the policy of reorganizing the faculty the board 
decreed the establishment of the following chairs : President of the 
faculty, teaching mental philosophy and ancient languages ; superin- 
tendent of mechanic arts and mechanical and civil engineering; 
superintendent of agriculture ; chemistry, theoretical and applied, and 
mineralogy and veterinary art ; mathematics, logic and astronomy ; 
biology, geology and physics ; English and history and instruction in 
modern languages. 

The election of a president was deferred and the senior professor, 
E. H. Murfee, who had held the chair of mathematics, was designated 
acting president, and professor of mathematics and logic. J. M. 
Whitham, who had held the chair of applied mathematics, was made 
superintendent of mechanic arts. Howard Edwards, of the old depart- 
ment of English, modern languages and modern history, was retained 
in the new chair of English and history and instructor in modern 
languages. George D. Purinton, of the department of chemistry, was 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT MURFEE. 143 

elected superintendent of agriculture, etc., but resigned in August, 
when A. E. Alenke was elected and S. S. Twombly was made adjunct 
professor. The chair of biology was filled by the election of F. W. 
Simonds, Ph. D. Miss L. M. Hale was designated instructor in ladies' 
industrial art, and Miss Katy V. King instructor in music. R. H. 
\\^illis, who had been a full professor before, was retained as adjunct 
professor of ancient languages. The position formerly known as 
])rofcssor in the normal department was replaced by "senior assistant 
and instructor in pedagogics" and was filled by the election of J. F. 
Howell. July, 1887, Lieutenant E. K. Fletcher was detailed to act 
as professor of military science and tactics. Besides these there were 
other adjuncts and instructors, some of whom seem to have been 
emph^iyed by the acting president. 

\\'hen the election of a president was deferred the executive 
committee was instructed to search for a suitable man by correspond- 
ence. In November three applicants were invited to come before the 
board and express their views "on the conduct and management of 
industrial schools." What their views were is not a matter of record, 
l)ut evidently they were unsatisfactory to the board as the election 
was again postponed. August 30. 1888, Colonel Murfee was unani- 
mously elected "president of the faculty" and was relieved of his 
duties in the department of mathematics by the election of Colonel 
O. C. Gray. 

Edward Hunter ]\Iurfee was born in A'^irginia, but was educated 
in the University of Alabama, where he subsequently held the chair 
of military engineering. Later he taught English in the U^niversity of 
Tennessee, after which he organized the Mississippi Military Institute. 
From this institution he came to the chair of mathematics and logic 
in the University of Arkansas in 1885. By continuous re-election, 
after 1888 he served as president until the close of 1893. 

lliere were no revolutions in the faculty during this period, but 
several changes of importance occurred. In the department of 
mechanical engineering Professor \\ hitham was succeeded by 
Professor C. \". Kerr in 1891. In English Professor Edwards was 
succeeded in 1891 by Professor R. H. Willis, transferred from the 
position of adjunct professor of ancient languages, to which work 
Professor C. H. Leverett was recalled. Professor J. F. McXeil took 



144 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

charge of the department of biology in 1891 in place of Professor 
Simonds. The military department was in charge of three men during 
this administration, Captain E. L. Fletcher 1887-1890, Captain R. C. 
Cabell 1890-92, and Major R. W. Dowdy, 1892-94. 

An attempt was made to regulate salaries by law in the act of 
1887. It provided that the salary of the president should be $2,000 
per annum, payable quarterly; that of the superintendents of agri- 
culture and of mechanic arts $1,600 each; that of the other full 
professors $1,500 each. In their first annual report the board of 
trustees called attention to the fact that these salaries were lower 
than those paid by any other state university in any state of popula- 
tion and resources equal to the same in Arkansas, that the university 
was constantly losing her best men on account of low salaries, and 
they suggested that this matter should be left to the determination of 
the board. Nothing was accomplished in 1889, but the suggestion was 
incorporated in the act of 1891. The board took advantage of this 
provision at its next meeting and raised the salary of the president 
to $2,500. The other changes were, superintendents of agriculture 
and of mechanic arts $2,200 each ; professors of mathematics and of 
biology $2,000 each ; professor of English and modern languages 
$1,800; adjunct professor of ancient languages and of English and 
pedagogics $1,500 each; all others ranged from $1,200 to $600. 

On the subject of tenure no advance was made. The board 
resolved that all positions became vacant at the end of each year and 
that they would rigidly adhere to the rule previously adopted for 
annual elections. 

A few important changes were made in the organization of the 
departments. The ladies industrial art department was abolished after 
June, 1889, on the ground that the legislature had made no provision 
for it. March, 1890, a law department was provided for, but it failed to 
materialize and was soon dropped. In January, 1893, the law school 
at Little Rock was adopted as a department of the university. At 
the end of 1891 history was separated from English and the chair of 
history and pedagogy was established. At the same time the 
foundations were laid for the department of geology and mining by 
the addition of an "expert in geology" to the department of biology, 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT MURFEE. 145 

geolog-y and mining-. At the request of the faculty, the board 
restored the department of ancient languages to its former position 
of equality. 

The appropriations for the period of this administration were as 
follows : 

1887. 

University. Ex. Station. 

State $60,000 00 

U. S $30,000 00 

1889. 

State $36,000 00 

U. S 1 1,909 09 30,000 00 

Total $47,90909 

1891. 

State $5220000 

U. S 23,797 92 30,000 00 

Total $75,997 92 

1893. 

State $29,600 00 

U. S 26,909 04 30,000 00 

To.tal $56,509 04 

The largest item in the state appropriations was for salaries, 
ranging from $23,000 in 1887 to $32,200 in 1891 and $20,000 in 1893. 
The other large items were for buildings and equipments. In addition 
to the above the university enjoyed an income of $10,400 a year from 
the Washington County and Fayetteville bonds. All new students 
were charged a matriculation fee of $5.00 and all non-beneficiaries a 
tuition fee of $10. In July, 1891, the board directed the return of 
tuition paid the previous March on the ground that the law requiring 
it had been repealed shortly after that, but the tuition requirement 
continued to be published in the catalogue. 

In 1872 Senator Morrill began active efforts to secure funds for 
the further endowment of the institutions created under the act of 
1862. At the same time attempts were being made by others to 
have the proceeds of the sales of public lands devoted to common 
school education. A compromise bill was introduced fixing a maximum 



146 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

of $50,000 for higher education and an indefinite amount for the 
common school fund. Though favored by a majority in each house, 
the bill was defeated by active opponents. One of these opponents 
was Mr. James Monroe, who had been a professor in Oberlin College, 
Ohio, and was then a member of the house. He secured the passage 
of a resolution directing the committee on education and labor to 
make a searching inquiry into the condition and management of the 
land graTit colleges. Mr. Monroe confessed himself converted by this 
report and thereafter was a firm friend of these institutions. However, 
nothing was accomplished immediately and later the measure was 
side-tracked by the famous Blair educational bill. But in 1890 
Senator Morrill had the satisfaction of securing the passage of a 
law to carry out his ideas. 

This act appropriated $15,000 for the year ending June 30, 1890, 
"for the more complete endowment and maintenance of colleges for 
the benefit of agriculture and mechanic arts," and further provided 
that there should be an annual increase of $1,000 over the appropria- 
tion of the preceding year until the annual sum reached $25,000. 
States which maintained separate institutions for white and colored 
were required to divide the fund in an equitable ratio. In accepting 
the grant Arkansas provided that eight-elevenths should go to the 
university at Fayetteville and three-elevenths to the Branch Normal 
College. 

The most important building erected during this administration 
was the dormitory for boys, which has since been named Buchanan 
Hall. During the preceding administration the board had tried in vain 
to secure appropriations for this purpose. "For the -purpose of 
cheapening the board of beneficiaries, and for the further purpose of 
better discipline," the act of 1887 appropriated $17,000 for a dormitory. 
Only beneficiaries were to be allowed rooms in it, unless they were 
not sufficiently numerous to fill it. The building was ready for 
occupancy March 31, 1888. The legislature of 1889 had directed that 
the basement of University Hall be fitted up for the shops and 
appropriated $7,000 for machinery and tools. The insurance com- 
panies had already objected to keeping the shops in the main building 
and the people occupying the rooms above complained of the noise 
and fumes from the shops. Because of this the old armory had 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT MURFEE. 147 

l)een fitted up to receive the forges and such things as caused danger 
from fire. The imperative necessity of removing all such things from 
University Hall was pointed out to the legislature of 1889 and it 
appropriated $5,000 for a shop building. The legislature of 1893 gave 
$2,000 for a chemical laboratory. 

The framer of the Barker bill was not in sympathy with the 
existing administration in its efi:'ort to establish industrial training 
for girls as well as for boys. As originally drawn the bill excluded 
them from the privileges of becoming beneficiaries, but their friends 
secured the insertion of a section providing that this feature should 
not take efifect until 1889. By that time they were strong enough to 
secure its repeal, but they failed to get any appropriation for the 
industrial arts department and it was dropped. 

The amount of manual labor, or "practical exercises," required of 
students by the act of 1887 has already been given. For this they 
were to be paid from three to ten cents an hour and this was to be 
applied in payment for board at the dormitory. Although classical 
students were required to labor they were not allowed to reside at 
the dormitory unless there were not enough agricultural and 
mechanical students to fill it. Also, while agricultural students 
were getting ten cents an hour, and mechanical students five cents, 
the classical students received only three. However, in 1889 all were 
put on an equality of ten cents an hour. As the enthusiasm for manual 
labor began to cool the faculty grew bold enough to count drill and 
laboratory work as a part of the required work. Not being rebuked 
for this they followed it up as their interpretation of the act of 1891, 
which, at their request, had reduced the amount of work required 
from three to two hours a day. The appropriations for student labor 
were 1887 and 1889. $5,000 each, 1891, $7,000, and 1893, $2,000. 

One thing which impresses the student of this administration, as 
well as of some others, is the almost complete dominance of the board. 
The faculty hardly dared to do anything on their own responsibility. 
If a stove was to be bought for the library or desks for recitation 
rooms, the board did it through its executive committee or the 
secretary. Not only the general curriculum must be approved by 
the board, but also the courses in any particular department. The 
facultv even asked the board if thev might allow students to take 



148 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

up extra studies. The board "authorize and request" the faculty to 
prepare the manuscript for the catalogue and then appoint a com- 
mittee to examine and approve it. It does not seem to have been 
any part of the president's duties to find suitable men to fill vacancies 
in the teaching force, the secretary of the board being directed to 
look after this. Perhaps the thing which proved most vexatious to 
faculty and students alike was the change of vacation. At the June 
meeting in 1887 the board directed that the next session should 
begin September 5 and close December 2. Thereafter the regular 
session was to begin the first Monday in March and closed about 
the first of December, making the vacation in the winter. The reason 
given for this was that the agricultural character of the school 
demanded that the students should be in attendance during the crop 
season. Another reason was the belief that it would be. beneficial to 
the health of the students. Repeated petitions from the faculty for 
a return to the old plan of a summer vacation were without avail. 

The following table of attendance gives some idea of the results 
of the attempt to bring into greater prominence the industrial features 
of the university. Preparatory students are not included in the figures 
for 1893. 

STUDENTS IN i888 1889 1890 i8gi 1892 1893 

Agriculture 4 70 66 33 49 3 

Engineering 94 92 128 76 86 42 

General Science 46 73 162 202 146 28 

Classical 66 69 89 75 119 91 

Normal 56 39 34 30 52 14 

Irregular 9 10 11 2 13 

The efforts in behalf of the engineering department were not 
without good results, but the attempt to push agricultural education 
to the front proved a failure. Several explanations may be offered 
for this failure. No teachers who were experts in, or enthusiastic 
for, the subject were employed. The advancement of agricultural 
education was sought at the expense of the liberal arts which were 
discredited in the act of 1887 and almost outlawed. The attempt was 
in advance of the demand. This seems to have been true in most 
of the other states. The most noteworthy result here was a serious 
blow to the college of liberal arts from which it took years to recover. 



CHAPTER XL 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT BUCHANAN. 



At a special meeting- of the board held in Little Rock January 8, 
1894, Dr. John L. Buchanan was elected president. Dr. Buchanan 
was born in Virginia (1831) and was educated at Emory and Henry 
College, where he also taught several years after graduation. During 
the Civil War he served in the ordnance department of the Con- 
federate government. In 1878 he took charge of the department of 
Latin in Vanderbilt, but left two years later to assume the presidency 
of his alma mater. Later he served as state superintendent of public 
instruction in Virginia. After the expiration of his term he went to 
Randolph-Macon College as professor of Latin, from which place he 
was called to the University of Arkansas. He arrived in Fayetteville 
March 3, attended a faculty meeting two days later and the following 
day the session of 1894 began. 

The entire instructional force of the university now numbered 
thirty-two exclusive of the experiment station stafif, being one more 
than for the preceding year. Nine of these were in the preparatory 
department as against six the preceding year. The faculty proper 
consisted of professors and associate professors, the latter being a 
new rank just introduced, and numbered seventeen counting the 
president. The principal of the preparatory department was invited 
by the faculty to meet with them and the board was requested to 
make him a member. Several years later (in 1900) the board defined 
the faculty as consisting of professors, associate professors and the 
principal of the preparatory department. At that time there were 
sixteen professors and five associates. At the close of this administra- 
tion in 1902 the instructional staff numbered thirty-four exclusive 
of the station staff and also of the president who had ceased to give 
instruction a year or two before. The net gain then may be given as 
three, all in the faculty proper, which now numbered twenty. The 
preparatory force had again been reduced to six. The position of 
adjunct professor had been revived in 1901 as standing between 
associates and instructors. 



150 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

The tenure of all the faculty, including the president, was for one 
year. In his first report Dr. Buchanan devoted a paragraph to 
the subject of tenure, recommending- that it be made permanent 
conditioned on good behavior and efficiency. The board not only 
paid no attention to this, but, a few years later (1899) resolved that 
no teacher or employe of the university should be elected until 
after commencement. 

With the experiment station staff the board for a while pursued a 
different policy. Recognizing that some experiments must extend 
over a series of years, this was given in 1894 as a reason for electing 
the director and all the staff for a period of four years. At the end 
of this period, however, this rule was rescinded, though the director 
was elected in 1899 for four years. In his last report Dr. Buchanan 
again reverted to this subject and told the board very plainly that 
the uncertainty of tenure was one cause of the frequent resignations 
and that such a condition did not "favor an identity of the personal 
interests of professors with those of the university, or promote a spirit 
of loyalty and devotion to the institution, or encourage the promotion 
of plans to develop and strengthen departments through consecutive 
years." 

The question of permanency of tenure has been a matter of 
legislative action and of judical decision. In June, 1899, the board 
of trustees created "the office of vice director and pomologist of the 
agricultural experiinent station" and appointed W. G. Vincenheller 
to the same for four years at a salary of $2,000 per annum. As a 
part of his duties he was required to hold agricultural institutes in 
different parts of the State. By act of May 23, 1901, the legislature 
abolished the office of pomologist and prohibited the board from 
allowing the incumbent any pay for his services. The incumbent 
thereupon applied to Judge John N. Tillman, of the circuit court, for 
a write of mandamus to compel the payment of his salary and 
attacked the validity of the act forbidding such payment on several 
grounds, among them that it tended to impair the obligations of a 
contract. The petition being denied an appeal was taken to the 
supreme court, but the decision of the lower court was affirmed by 
four out of five justices. Speaking for the majority, Mr. Justice Battle 
held that the position in question was a public office and that the act 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT BUCHANAN. 151 

abolishing- it did not impair tlie obligation of a contract, "for the 
duties and obligations of an officer grow out of the law, and not 
out of contract." In a vig-orous dissenting opinion, Chief Justice 
Bunn combatted the definitions of public office accepted by the 
majority and pointed out that, under such a definition, "every teacher 
of the smallest district school would be a public officer. He also 
cited a decision of the supreme court of Wisconsin to the efifect that 
"a professor in the state university is not a public officer in such 
a sense as prevents his employment as sitch creating a contracted 
relation." 

Few changes were made in the faculty at the time of the election 
of Dr. Buchanan. Elias Chandler, first lieutenant, 16th infantry, 
U. S. A., arrived a few days before Dr. Buchanan and took charge of 
the military department. Professor B. J. Dunn succeeded Mrs. A. M. 
Tyler as head of the preparatory department becatise the board 
thought it better to have a man there. Professor John C. Futrall was 
elected to the chair of Patin and entered upon the discharge of his 
duties in July. The following year Professor W. N. Gladson and 
Miss Ida Pace entered the faculty. In June, 1895. Professor Harrison 
Randolph succeeded Professor O. C. Gray in the chair of mathematics, 
and a year later E. F. Shannon became associate professor of ancient 
languages. Professors George M. Peale and A. H. Purdue were 
added to the faculty in 1897 and S. J. McLean a year later. Wm. P. 
Stone, first lieutenant 6th artillery, U. S. A., succeeded Lieutenant 
Chandler in the military department in February, 1898, and served 
the rest of the year, when W. A. Ross, a graduate of the university, 
was designated acting commandant. Professors J. W. Fertig, Junius 
Jordan, Ernest T. Bynum and C. E. Houghton all came in 1898, and 
Professors F. W. Pickel, A. F. Lewis and Ernest Walker a year later. 
At the same time the military department was left in charge of a 
member of the senior class, J. L. Flarnor. Two changes were made 
the following year, Professor W. A. Read entering the department 
of English, and Captain G. K. Spencer taking charge of the military 
department. Professor Lewis was absent on leave during 1901-02, 
when his place was filled by Professor A. C. Barrows, and J. W. 
Kuykendall took charge of the preparatory department. The changes 
had brought about an almost entirely new faculty in eight years, only 



152 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

two remaining at the close of Dr. Buchanan's administration who 
were there at the beginning as members of the faculty, though there 
were three others in attendance on the first faculty meetings who 
became members soon thereafter. 

The custom of granting leave of absence to members of the 
faculty was begun in 1897, when three months were given to Professor 
Menke in order that he might pursue graduate work in Germany. 
In December, 1898, a year's leave of absence was granted Professor 
Futrall with permission to select his own substitute, who was to be 
paid only for the time he actually taught, the rest of the twelve 
installments going to Professor Futrall. This is the nearest the board 
ever came to granting leave of absence with continuance of pay, 
though Professor Menke had employed and paid his substitute. 
Several were granted leave of absence in the next few years, but 
in 1900 the board practically reversed its former liberal policy by 
ordering that, in future, no employe was to receive any part of his 
salary during vacation unless he rendered some service for it. The 
legislature of 1901 even went so far as to forbid the board to grant 
leave of absence except for actual sickness of the teacher himself. 

The question of courses of study and degrees began to agitate the 
faculty in 1897 and was not finally disposed of until two years later. 
It was started in January, 1897, by a motion to confer the B. A. on all 
students completing the work then laid down for the B. S., provided 
that a committee should be appointed to determine the minimum 
amount of language to be required. The committee appointed to 
consider this matter failed to agree and presented majority and 
minority reports. After "long discussion" a sort of compromise was 
finally effected. The courses leading to the B. A. were increased in 
number so as to include courses with science as a major; the minimum 
amiount of language was to be four full-year courses of three hours 
each, one of which must be Latin ; of mathematics, one three-hour 
course ; the amount of science was left for future determination. A 
special course was to be arranged for the B. S. 

Here the matter seems to have rested for about a year when it was 
again taken up. The committee appointed to consider the subject 
reported in favor of two degrees, the B. A. and B. S., the details of 
which are given elsewhere, and this report was adopted. This proved 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT BUCHANAN. 153 

unsatisfactory, however, and in December, 1898, a committee consist- 
ing of Professors Futrall, Menke, Purdue, Bynum and Fertig was 
appointed to remodel the courses. This committee, composed of three 
arts and two science men, made its report in the following January, 
but the differences between the arts and the science men seemed 
irreconcilable. Finally a new committee consisting of three science 
men was ordered and the president was asked to sit with them as a 
sort of umpire. They were instructed to make the courses for fresh- 
men and sophomores uniform, allowing limited options but no 
electives. 

The committee does not seem to have followed instructions, but 
reported three courses leading to the B. A., B. Ph., and B. S. degrees 
respectively and this report was adopted. Tired of repeated alterations 
and perpetual discussion the faculty ordered that the courses should 
stand as adopted without material change for at least four years. A 
rule previously adopted prohibiting- substitutions for required studies 
was rescinded. The graduate courses leading to the Ph. D. were 
dropped. No further changes in the courses themselves were made 
within the four years. In 1900 the recitation periods were reduced 
to fifty-five minutes. 

On the question of honorary degrees the faculty was inclined to 
be conservative and in 1901 declared against conferring the D. D. 
on any one. 

This administration marked a noteworthy period in the develop- 
ment of the departments. The division of the department of ancient 
languages into the departments of Latin and of Greek in 1894 was 
found to be in advance of the needs of the institution and was aban- 
doned the following year. The subject of geology was definitely 
detached from that of biology and the department of geology was 
created in 1896. The following year marked the separation of the 
work in the technical school into three departments, that of mechanical 
engineering, that of civil engineering, and that of electrical engineering. 
Some of these changes were perhaps forcing themselves on the 
university in the natural course of its development. To Dr. Buchanan, 
however, must be ascribed the chief credit for creating the department 
of economics and sociology. So insistent was he for these subjects 
that he taught economics himself for two or three years. Finally, in 



154 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

1896, the board was induced to establish the chair, but it was not filled 
until the following year by calling- S. J. McLean. Following close upon 
this came the separation of history and pedagogics and the creation 
of two departments, history in one case and philosophy and pedagogy 
in the other. The departments of elocution and physical culture and 
of art were virtually reorganized and provided with quarters. 

In the matter of the agricultural school there is a noticeable 
reaction in this period from the efforts made to stimulate it in the 
later eighties. This was a confession that the efforts previously made 
in this line were either misdirected or in advance of the time. Dr. 
Buchanan was inclined to the latter view. In consequence the so-called 
school of agriculture was reduced to a mere department with four 
subordinate departments. For one year of this period only one 
student of collegiate grade was enrolled in the agricultural course. 

Meantime the technical school was showing a healthy growth. 
In 1900 the governor was asked to recommend to the legislature the 
establishment of a textile school, but no further steps have been taken 
in this direction. 

In 1898 the board invited all evangelical churches to establish 
chairs of biblical literature or theology in the university, with the 
assurance that students pursuing such studies would be admitted to 
the classes of the academic department on the same terms as other 
students. So far no denomination has responded. 

The only department permanently abolished was the so-called 
department of pharmacy, which was swept away by the legislature 
of 1895. 

The appropriations for this period were as follows : 

State. U. S. Ex. Station. Totals. 

1895 $51,450 00 $29,81-3 17 $30,000 00 $111,268 17 

1897 67,300 00 Z'2;'127 27 30,000 00 130,027 27 

1899 69,550 00 35,626 25 30,000 00 135,176 25 

1901 91,750 00 36,343 43 30,000 00 158,093 43 

The largest single item was that for salaries, beginning with 
$25,000 in 1895 and reaching $40,000 in 1901. This increase was 
mainly due to additions to the teaching force rather than to increase 
of individual salaries. As a matter of fact there had been some 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT BUCHANAN. 155 

reductions as well as a few increases. In 1895 the salary attached to 
the department of chemistry and that of mechanic arts was reduced 
from $2,200 to $2,000 and that of biology from $2,000 to $1,800. while 
that of ancient languages was raised from $1,700 to $1,800, that of 
history and pedagogy from $1,600 to $1,800 and that of the associate 
in mathematics from $1,300 to $1,500. The reductions were not in 
harmony with the views of Dr. Buchanan, who told the board that the 
laborer was worthy of his hire and suggested increases. In 1900 only 
four departments carried with them salaries of $2,000 — ancient 
languages, mathematics, geology, and philosophy and pedagogy. The 
professor of biology received $1,800; all others $1,500. 

The rules governing fees were changed several times during this 
administration. At the beginning, in 1894, all new students were 
required to pay a matriculation fee of $5.00 and all non-beneficiary 
students were charged $10.00 per session. The legislature of 1895 
required the board to apportion the beneficiaries — the number having 
been previously fixed at 1,000 in all — among the counties according 
to population. The selection of the appointees was left to the county 
judges. If any county failed to fill up its quota, the president of 
the university was allowed to do so by appointments from other 
counties. The following year the board made the matriculation fee 
of $5.00 payable once in four years, required a contingent fee of $3.00 
of all except new students and a tuition fee of $30.00 per year of all 
non-beneficiaries. When the legislature of 1897 recpiired all students 
appointed as beneficiaries to a county of which they were not resident 
to pay a fee of $10.00, the board relieved all such of the contingent 
fee of $3.00. In July, 1897, the board ordered that in future all 
students should be charged a diploma fee of $5.00. In 1896 Dr. 
Buchanan had recommended that the matriculation fee be made 
payable annually by beneficiaries and that non-beneficiaries be charged 
$30.00 without any matriculation fee, but this was not adopted until 
1899. In 1895 the refunding of fees, or parts thereof, to students 
leaving the university had been left to the discretion of the president. 
Hereafter no fees were to be returned without the order of the board. 

Unfortunately, the treasurer's reports do not show the amount of 
money received from any of these sources. In fact very few of the 



156 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

treasurer's reports have been prepared in a form available for historical 
purposes. The report for 1901-02 has an item marked "contingent, 
$8,207.24." The presumption is that the greater part of this was 
collected out of the fees. Besides these sources of revenue the 
university had an income of $10,400 from the endowment funds 
invested in Washington County and Fayetteville bonds. 

The appropriation bill for 1899 contains this section : "The name 
of the Arkansas Industrial University is hereby chang-ed to the 
University of Arkansas." For several years the feeling had been 
growing that the old name was a misfit. Dr. Buchanan took advantage 
of every opportunity to call attention to this fact with the results just 
indicated. 

In the matter of buildings this can not be said to have been a 
constructive period. Mechanic Hall was erected in 1897 to replace the 
wooden building destroyed by fire in April, 1895. In 1901 this was 
enlarged at a cost of $2,000. In 1901 a dormitory for boys, known 
as Hill Hall, was erected at a cost of $10,000. Other buildings were 
a plant house and office rooms for the experiment station, and a 
cottage residence on the farm. The stone wall around the campus 
was begun, a sewerage system was installed, the athletic grounds 
were fenced and a grandstand was erected. The president's dream 
of a woman's building for the accommodation of female students was 
not realized during his administration. 

During this administration the idea began to be worked out that 
the university not only existed for the people, but that it must go 
after them. In 1894 the board simply appropriated $1,000 for adver- 
tising, but in 1899 they appropriated $500 to pay the expenses of the 
principal of the preparatory department and the professor of 
pedagogy who were directed to go out in the byways and hedges and 
compel them to come. The credit for this probably belongs to the 
president and the faculty, who had discussed ways and means of 
increasing attendance and had appointed a committee to consider 
plans. The following year the appropriation was increased to $600 
and the president joined the campaigners. Undoubtedly the student- 
labor fund was a strong drawing card. In his last report Dr. Buchanan 
stated that about one hundred had profited by this. 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT BUCHANAN. 157 

The curve of attendance for this administration shows some 
unsatisfactory wanderings. After 1894 there was a steady decline 
in attendance until 1898, falling from 613 to 478. The financial 
condition of the country undoubtedly was largely responsible for this. 
The year 1898-99 showed a gain of only two. By this time the 
country was beginning" to recover and the faculty were getting more 
active in campaigning for students. The result was 655 for 1899-1900, 
but a decline again set in and the number had fallen to 606 in 1901.-02. 
However, there was a gain in the proportion of collegiate to prepara- 
tory students. 

After repeated petitions on the part of the faculty and students 
the board at last consented (1895) to a change of vacation from winter 
to summer. This necessitated a short session extending from March 
5 to July 17, 1895. Since then the sessions have begun in September 
and ended in June. The change afi'ected most the senior class. 
The}' were required to return and remain throughout the first term 
of the session of 1895-96. Alany remained to the end of the year. The 
reason why the board hesitated to make the change was the fear that 
the supposedly rigorous winter would afl:'ect unfavorably the health 
of the students, but no such results followed and there has never 
been any thought of returning to the winter vacation. 

The position of the president remained at the end of this period 
about what it was at the beginning, a presiding officer in the faculty 
and a channel of communication between the faculty and board. A 
good part of the president's time was taken up with disbursing the 
student-labor fund and approving accounts. He also taught until 
near the close of his administration. Board and faculty government 
prevailed. Often the board selected the teachers without even 
consulting the president and sometimes in opposition to his known 
wishes. He was not always invited to be present at the board 
meetings. Within the institution faculty government prevailed, both 
in the matter of general policy and in minor details, such as discipline. 
Harmonv did not always prevail among the departments, especially 
between the technical departments on the one side and the arts 
departments on the other, though the president served as a mediator. 



CHAPTER XII. 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HARTZOG. 



Some time in, advance of the commencement of 1902 Dr. lUichanan 
signified to the board that he wished to retire on account of advancing" 
age and ill-health. At the June meeting- the board asked him to serve 
until August 1 and the same day elected Professor Harrison Randolph, 
who had formerly occupied the chair of mathematics and astronomy. 
Professor Randolph required as a condition of acceptance that his 
tenure and that of the faculty be made more permanent and that he 
have greater freedom in the choice of the faculty. These conditions 
were rejected by the board in a called meeting at Little Rock, July 15, 
1902, and Dr. Henry S. Hartzog was elected for one year. 

Henry S. Hartzog was born in South Carolina (1866) and was 
graduated from the South Carolina Military Academy in 1886. Later 
he graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at 
Louisville. He then began teaching and served as principal of Johnston 
Institute until 1897, when he was elected president of Clemson College 
and director of the South Carolina Experiment Station. From this 
position he was called to the University of Arkansas. 

Numerous changes had already been made in the personnel of the 
faculty. Associate Professor J. W. Carr became professor of English, 
H. A. Minis took charge of the department of economics and sociolog-y, 
W. S. Johnson, philosophy and pedagogy, J. H. Reynolds, history, 
A. M. Muckenfuss, chemistry and physics. Professor C. E. Houghton 
resigning the following- January, B. N. Wilson was designated acting 
professor for the remainder of the year, when he was elected professor. 
Lanning Parsons, captain 9th regiment of cavalry, U. S. A., took 
charge of the military department February 11, 1903. The faculty 
now numbered nineteen. Besides these there were two adjuncts and 
twelve instructors including- the teachers of music, making thirty-three 
There were also three members of the station staff not included in the 
foreeoins". 



160 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Few changes were made the following- year. C. H. Brough took 
charge of the department of economics and sociology, W. G. Vincen- 
heller became director of the experiment station, and the director of 
music, Paul Schmolck, was made a member of the faculty. Slight 
changes were also made in the form of organization in the way of a 
nearer approach to the university system. The departments giving 
instruction in arts, science and technical subjects are denominated 
"The College," the department of music "The Conservatory of Music 
and Arts," and the preparatory department "The Preparatory School." 
The experiment station had always had a separate existence. The 
instructional staff of the college nimibered twenty-three and a 
machinist, of the preparatory school eight, and of the conservatory 
six, making thirty-eight in all, besides three men in the station not 
included above. The increase had come, three in the conservatory 
and two in the preparatory school. 

In 1904 G. A. Cole became professor of agriculture and Ad^iss 
Hazel A. Yates became director of music. R. B. Powers, captain 7th 
cavalry, took charge of the military department in January, 1905. The 
instructional force was increased by the addition of A. A. Steel to 
the department of geology and mining with the rank of associate. 
The departments of chemistry and electrical engineering also were 
strengthened by the addition of one instructor to each. The prepara- 
tory force was raised to nine. The station staff was increased by 
the addition of an instructor in dairying, and J. H. Norton became 
chemist. Except for the conservatory of music and arts no new 
departments were created during this administration, though the 
foundations for the dairy department were laid at this time. The 
faculty was increased by one and the entire instructional force had 
been raised from thirty-three in 1902 to forty in 1905. 

This increase hardly kept pace with the growth in attendance and 
the real needs of the university. The total attendance at Fayetteville 
had increased from 606 in 1902 to 810 in 1905. The collegiate depart- 
ment had leapt from 234 to exactly 400, and the preparatory 
department had increased from 347 to 410. This increase was no 
doubt due in part to the increased activity in the line of campaigning 
for students. The president being an excellent public speaker, was 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HARTZOG Kil 



in (k'lnand for addrcssi'S in all ])arts of the State, lie was a N'i^oroiis 
advcM-tiscr, also, and took part in the suninicr campaign work and 
was assisted 1)\- more nuMnhers of the faculty than had c\'ei" i^one out 
before. A weekly hnlletin. erilled the "Tnixersity News Letter," vva.'^ 
issued and sent out to the i)ress and individuals all o\ cr the State. 

'I'he appropriations show increasint;- liheralit}' on tlu' part ol the 
legislature, thon^h still not up to the needs of the institution. 

ITniversity. I''x. Station. 'I'dtal. 

State $ I J5-«3« M $ I -'.^■''^.^''^ ' ' 

L!. S .V).5f>5 ('5 $.?o ooo 00 f>(',5f'5 ^'.S 

Totals $162.40.^ 7(1 $30,000 00 $192,403 76 

KJOS- 

Stale $i<So.3ji 11 $35,500 00 $ji5.S_'i 11 

U. S 3'''.5('.S O.S 4-''*'<'<' <«' /•'^.Sf'S ^)5 

Totals $216,886 76 $77,500 00 $204..S86 76 

The salary item of $4(),()(H) in I'H).^ was raised to $.^(),()()() in VK)S. 
The president's salary had remained at $3,000. Only four jjrofessor.s 
were receivino- as mueh as $J,()()() each. At the be.^innini;- of this 
administration ( l'H)2) the board abolished all student fees excej)! those 
for matriculation and graduation. L'p to 1*K)J the imiversily continued 
to receive $10,400 a year from the l%-i\ ette\ ille and Washinj^ton 
C'ount\- bonds. In the readjustment elTeeted at this time the rate 
was so reduced that the income amounted to only $3,**.^() ])er amnim. 
Dr. I lart/.os^'s term may \ cry fitly be called a buildins^ administra- 
tion, althouj^h the orcater ])art of the actual work of construction was 
carried out tuider his sticcessor. In Jtnte. I'KM, $2.S,()()0 was 
a])])ropriated for an h'.noineerino Mall, shops and e(pii])ment. Two 
years later $8,000 was added for the completion of the buihlino- which 
now accommodates all en!:;ineerino (le])artments. The repeated calls 
for more dormitory room at last bore fruit (l'X).S) in the appropriation 
of v$20,000 for a boy's dormitory and $35,000 for a .^irl's dormitory. 
With tliese sums were erected the buildinf^s known as (Iray llall and 
h'lla Carnall llall. The latter beino- for ^irls, w'as very fitly named 



162 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

for a popular teacher who had died in the service of the university. 
The same year a new chemical building was provided at a cost of 
$18,000 and an infirmary at a cost of $5,000. There was also an 
appropriation of $12,000 for agricultural and horticultural building's 
with the stipulation that $9,000 should be used at Fayetteville and 
$3,000 at the branch stations. With the former sum was erected the 
building known as the Agricultural Building. A dairy building cost- 
ing $5,000 closes the list of gifts by the legislature of 1905. The 
gymnasium and the geology building asked for had to wait. There 
were, however, other improvements in the nature of a heating plant 
for the boy's dormitory costing $6,000 and sanitary improvements 
costing $3,844.60. All these things were planned and provided for 
during this administration, but their realization was left for another. 

One of the most noteworthy things about this administration was 
the way it dealt with the courses of study. At the June meeting in 
1902 the board, on motion of Trustee Stroup, requested the faculty 
to "revise the courses in such a way as to include a large number of 
electives and an adjustment of the several departments to each other." 

In the faculty minutes for December 16, 1902, occurs this state- 
ment : "There was a discussion of the report of the committee on 
curriculum." The records do not show the personnel of the committee 
nor the date of appointment, though it had been named early in the 
fall and had worked out its report after frequent meetings. The report 
was debated in faculty meetings at intervals until March 5. Only the 
briefest references are made to it in the faculty minutes, but these 
indicate that there were majority and minority reports, that there 
were two or three sub-committees and that they presented reports and 
substitute reports. So heated and prolonged did the discussions 
become that the standing rule for adjournment at 5 p. m. was 
rescinded until the matter was settled. Finally, on March 5, "The 
report of the curriculum committee as amended" was adopted 
unanimously. It was in this way that the elective system now in 
vogue at the university was brought about. The courses thus outlined, 
with minor changes, remain in force. A discussion of the report as 
adopted will be found in the chapter on "Courses of Study." In 1904 
the courses were further enlarged by one leading to the degree of 
Bachelor of Music. 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HARTZOG. 163 

The matter of entrance reqnirements also was debated at great 
lengtli and a decision was reached only a short time before commence- 
ment. The plan adopted was based on a system of credits, partly 
constant and partly elective, which is described elsewhere. With 
slight modifications this SA'stem has been in use ever since. In 
February, 1905, the faculty voted to join the Southern Associatioii 
for uniform entrance examinations, but the connection does not seem 
to have been perfected. 

At times during this administration the behavior of the students 
was not all that could be desired. The committees on discipline 
and on doubtful cases had a good deal of business on hand and 
faculty meetings were frequently devoted to trials. One noted case 
arose in 1903. A student decided that he would not drill. He was 
expressly ordered to do so by the faculty and then suspended for 
continued disobedience. He then brought suit in the circuit court 
of Washington County praying for a writ of mandamus to compel 
the president and faculty to reinstate him. The faculty were 
represented by Dr. C. H. Brough as counsel. The opinion was deliv- 
ered by Judge John N. Tillman, and he sustained the faculty at every 
point. In the course of his opinion he said : 

In this matter the faculty acted with due caution. I believe that if, from the 
evidence, the relator had submitted to these extra drills, or if he had shown a 
conciliatory or even a tolerant spirit instead of a spirit of defiance, he would have 
been excused from the drudgery of the drill. In this situation I have no doubt 
that the president and members of the faculty felt that to allow the relator to 
successfully dispute their authority would result in a loss of the respect of the 
student body and seriously endanger necessary school discipline. In school govern- 
ment the step from complete control to anarchy is but a short one. * * * The 
faculty is made up of men and women of sense and experience. They are persons 
possessed of high character and know much more about conducting a state uni- 
versity than does the average lawyer. Mandamus can not be invoked to control 
discretion or judgment. Under the proof as I view it, I think it would be 
an inexcusable act in me to apply the scourge of condemnation to the backs of a 
score of hard working and conscientious men and women for doing that which 
their judgment told them was best for the school. * * * j want to discourage 
this character of litigation. A few suits like this will wreck the institution and 
wreck the students who bring them. 

The fraternity question entered what was perhaps its most serious 



164 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

phase the first year of this administration and continued to furnish 
matter for debate throughout its entire duration. 

When first established at the University of Arkansas fraternities 
were treated with indifference, if not opposition, by most of the 
students. The mystery surrounding- the secret meetings and initiations 
and the reserved bearing of the fraternity man in deaHng with non- 
fraternity men as compared with the spirit of camaraderie displayed 
toward his fellow members bred a spirit of suspicion and distrust. 
In consequence the fraternities had a somewhat hard fight at first, 
but soon their hold was secure. 

A little more than five years after the first chapter of a fraternity 
was established, a senior, on being asked what single thing had 
proved the greatest boon to the university since 1892, replied: "The 
general interest taken in fraternity work. * * ^- It seems since the 
Greek-letter orders entered the institution more animation has been 
manifested in school duties, literary work, and athletics, and I think 
the success of this magazine ["The Ozark"] is due indirectly to 
fraternity spirit." Another student expressed himself in like vein. 
"Since 1890," said he, "our students are much more active college 
men than they were before. The most prominent positions in schools 
are filled by fraternity men. * * * Then, too, the fraternities have 
exerted a healthful influence over our social life. As soon as a man 
can wear a fraternity pin on the lapel of his coat he begins to walk 
erect and carry himself with an air that suggests one of our newly 
appointed sergeants yearning for more worlds to conquer. And the 
proudest moment of a new initiate's life is when he can induce one 
of the girls to appear with his badge on. Our fraternity takes the 
place of home. If we can't have home the fraternity is the next best 
thing. Many a boy has been restrained from doing a mean deed by 
his fraternity associations." 

Whether the increased activities referred to were merely coincident 
with, or the result of, the advent of fraternities the present writer can 
not say. A non-fraternity man who was at the university at the time 
declares that the advent of fraternities marked the beginning of the 
decline of the literary societies. The claim of the writer quoted that 
the most prominent positions were held by fraternity men seems to 
be borne out by the facts. "The Ozark" for June, 1897, gives a list 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HARTZOG. 165 

of those held by fraternity men and one is led to believe that there 
were not many more worth while. Unfortunately those selected by 
the students were not always beyond question the best fitted for the 
honors. Another cause of friction was the social question. A 
fraternity pin has a charm for a girl hardly exceeded by that of brass 
buttons and gilt collars. In consequence the non-fraternity men found 
tliemselves at a social discount, not to say, social pariahs. Smartino; 
under these wrongs and insults the non-fraternity men proceeded to 
organize. 

The faculty now began to take notice. Their first action (Decem- 
ber 19, 1898) was to confer with the societies with a view to getting 
pledges not to initiate or pledge any student below the sophomore 
class. All the fraternities at once agreed to this, but the non-fraternity 
men at first refused. In ]\Iay the faculty adopted certain regulations 
of which they asked and secured the approval of the board in June. 
They were to the efifect that, beginning with the session of 1899-1900, 
every matriculate should pledge himself not to join any secret society 
except such as had the sanction of the faculty. No society was to 
receive such sanction until it had promised not to initiate, pledge, or 
solicit any student below the sophomore class. On the eve of 
commencement some of the fraternities began to "rush" new 
members, whereupon they were ordered to suspend all initiations 
pending the action of the board. The rules were approved as passed 
by the faculty, but the following year the board declared that one 
who had passed on his freshman studies could be pledged at com- 
mencement, though he was not to be initiated until the opening of 
the next term. 

In 1901 the fight between the fraternities and the non-fraternity 
men was carried to the legislature. Whilst a rather drastic anti- 
fraternity bill was pending, the faculty declared that they could not 
assume any but a strictly judicial position in regard to the controversy 
and that they must decline to take any action or give any opinion on 
one side or the other. But at the same time they practically showed 
their approval of fraternities by granting the prayer of certain 
students for permission to form themselves into an organization for 
the purpose of applying for a charter from some national fraternity. 
The law as passed by the legislature prohibited the existence of 



166 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

fraternities or Greek-letter societies at the university. No student 
who was a member of any of the prohibited societies was to be 
allowed to receive any class honors or distinctions conferred by the 
university or to compete for any prize or medal offered by the 
university or by any association or individual or to hold any rank, 
position or ofifice in any organization of the cadets above the grade 
of second lieutenant after September 1, 1901. But any student who 
was a member could, b}^ filing with the president a renunciation of 
such membership, relieve himself of the penalties of the law. No 
person who was a member of any of the forbidden societies composed 
in part of students, or who attended or participated in their pro- 
ceedings, should be employed by the board as professor, instructor or 
teacher unless he filed a written renunciation with the secretary of 
the board. 

At the opening- of the fall term the faculty, endeavoring to enforce 
the law, prohibited all students from attending the meetings of any 
fraternity under penalty of suspension for a year. They also announced 
that students wishing to compete for honors must comply with the 
law and that, in the opinion of the board, a diploma was an "honor" 
within the meaning of the law. A form of renunciation was prescribed 
by which the student was to promise not to affiliate with, nor attend 
the meetings of, nor contribute to the support of, any fraternity. 

Perplexed and dazed, the fraternities were disposed for a while to 
accept this as a death blow. While not in sympathy with the law, 
Dr. Buchanan believed that it was the duty of the faculty to attempt 
its enforcement. Throughout the year no fraternities were supposed 
to be in existence. 

Such was the situation when Dr. Hartzog became president of the 
university. Shortly after the opening of the fall term of 1902 persist- 
ent rumors kept floating about to the effect that the fraternities were 
not dead, but were existing sub-rosa. Some one had found a way 
of explaining away the law and suggested that, after all, fraternities 
were not forbidden outright, that, while the first section of the law 
did prohibit, the second was permissive, imposing- as a penalty for 
existence that no member should compete for any honor. The faculty, 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HARTZOG. 167 

however, declared that their prohibitory rules were still in force, 
though no active steps were taken to see that they were observed. 

This was due to the fact that a majority of the faculty had always 
l)een disposed to side with the fraternities and now the president was 
of a similar disposition. The fraternities now grew bolder, but did 
not come out into the open for yet a while longer. But the anti- 
fraternity men did not relent. The feeling between the two parties 
grew stronger and the effect was felt in the societies and even in the 
class-room work. The fight was carried to the legislature of 1903, 
and a committee came up under instruction to make a thorough 
investigation. They had authority to send for persons and papers in 
securing evidence. They sent for many persons and used up a good 
deal of paper, but their report never was published. A drastic anti- 
fraternity bill was introduced in the legislature, but was defeated. 

From this time on the anti-fraternity spirit began to wane and the 
fraternities soon came out into the open. No question was raised 
about the right of their members to secure diplomas and the custom 
of graduating with distinction was abolished, but fraternity men were 
not allowed to compete for prizes. Such was the situation at the close 
of this administration. 

At the end of the three years the office of the president was 
declared vacant. Although of brief duration the administration had 
accomplished much and the university was now fully launched on 
its career of rapid development. To Dr. Hartzog is largely due the 
credit of increased attendance, of larger appropriations and of bringing 
the university prominently before the people of the State. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



THE ADMINISTRATION OV PRESIDENT TILL.MAN. 



June 13, 1*^)05, Judge John N. Tillman was elected president c^f the 
imiversity. Judge Tillman was l)orn in Missouri in 1859, and was 
graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1880. He taught for 
a few years and then was admitted to the bar. He held a number of 
public offices and was serving as circuit judge at the time of his 
election. His interest in the university has been continuous since his 
graduation and a good part of this time he has had some connection 
with it, first as president of the alumni association and next as 
trustee. He is the first alumnus to be hc^nored with the presidency. 

For the second time in the history of the university special 
inaugural exercises were carried out in connection with the installation 
of President Tillman. The time fi^r these exercises was fixed for 
September 20, 1905, and invitations were issued to all of the alumni, 
to representatives of educational institutions, to state officials and 
distinguished public men. On the appointed day a large crowd 
gathered in the university chapel. The following- program had been 
arranged and was carried out with the exception of the address by Mr. 
J. C. South, who could not be present : 

Invocation Rev. J. E. Denham 

For the Board of Trustees J. C. South, LL. B. 

For the Faculty A. H. Purdue, B. A. 

For the Alumni J. C. Marshall, M. A. 

For a Sister University \\'illiam S. Sutton, LL. D., L'niversity of Texas 

Induction of the President E. A. AlcCulIoch 

Associate Justice, Arkansas Supreme Court. 

Inaugural Address President John X. Tillman, B. L. L. 

Professor Shannon gave a happy turn to his introductory remarks 
by calling attention to the auspicious meaning- of the word inaugurate, 
which had its origin in the ceremonv of inductino- into office the 



170 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Roman augurs, who were men of prominence and influence. Touching 
the demands of the faculty Professor Purdue said : 

We expect him (the president) to put his life into the University of Arkansas. 
We expect his time, his energies, and his best thought to be the property of this 
institution. We expect him to go deeply into the educational problems of our 
country and state; to embrace every reasonable opportunity to join in the councils 
of presidents of similar institutions ; to bring this institution to the attention of 
the world ; to place it on a broad and rational basis offering opportunities to its 
students as wide as the range of human knowledge, yet a unit in organization; to 
be full of aggressiveness, tempered with conservatism. In short, we expect him to 
take the reins of the institution and fearlessly guide it along the course blazed out 
by honesty of purpose, soundness of judgment, and a sense of fairness and 
equity to all. 

In his address the new president bespoke his confidence in the 

future of the university and added a word of hope and cheer for every 

phase of its activity. The following are some of the more striking 

passages of the address : 

These propitious omens gratify every friend of the university ; every friend of the 
State. So long as the public school system, of which the university is the head, 
merits ^the approval and is granted the support of the people, decay of the common- 
wealth is impossible and progress certain. A state is just as strong as her schools — 
no stronger. Her position among her sisters is determined by her attitude toward 
her institutions of learning. If they flourish, she advances. If they decay for lack 
of support, the state will decay for lack of manhood and womanhood. 

It was my pleasure in boyhood to see this hall rise, brick by brick, until it 
stood forth in finished grandeur, a thing of beauty and majesty. Here we hope 
she will stand forever, in the shadow of her oaks, proudly facing the morning. 

The dearest privilege and highest honor that ever came to me, are mine at this 
hour; the privilege and the honor of presiding at an institution in whose chapel, 
corridors and class rooms, so many of the happy years of my youth were spent. 
Every man's heart is filled with tender sentiment towards the home and the school 
of his boyhood. No good man will raise his hand against either. Propriety, yes 
duty, thunders at every alumnus this command : "Taint not thy mind nor let thy 
soul contrive against thy mother aught," and the command is never disobeyed by 
the true alumnus. 

All that I am, the little that I have accomplished, I owe to this institution, and 
duly mindful of this fact, I here and now pledge myself, my energies, my ambitions, 
my mind and my soul to her service. 

The same day on which the new executive was chosen the board 
adopted a report submitted b}^ Trustee Stroup as chairman of the 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT TILLMAN. 171 

committee on rules, in which the duties of tlie president were defined. 
He was denominated the executive head of the university and 
was directed to secure efficiency in all departments, an orderly 
and economical administration, and healthful development in all the 
afi^airs of the university. He was re(|uired to ])reside at all meetiui^s 
of the faculty, to vote on all questions, and to serve as the ors^an of 
communication between the faculty and the board, and also in all 
matters of appeals from students. He was autiiorized to fill vacancies, 
but such appointments were to be valid only until their sanction was 
secured or another appointment was made by the executive committee. 
A year later he was authorized t(j suspend any teacher for gross 
immorality or neglect of duty, the teacher so suspended being given 
the right of appeal to the board. In June, 1907, tlie president was 
given the right of veto on any action of the faculty which he deemed 
unfair or unjust to any department or not for the best interests of 
the university. The extent of the president's powers was made a little 
more definite in 1908 by the statement that he should have supervisory 
control over all departments of the university and the experiment 
station with p(jwer of removal. In case of the exercise of the power 
of removal he must inform the board at once. If the governor thinks 
the action unwarranted, he is required to call the board immediately. 
The faculty was defined as composed of the president, the deans 
of the law and medical departments, the director of the experiment 
station, the commandant, the heads of departments or the ranking 
l)rofessors therein and the principal of the ])re]iaratorv department. 
The faculty as thus constituted was authorized lo add to its own 
membership out of the instructional force l)y election. The ranking 
professor in each department was designated the head thereof and was 
declared responsible for the quality and efficiency of the work therein. 
The commandant was required to teach military tactics, to appoint 
all cadet offices subject to the approval of the president, to execute 
all orders issued by the president, and to aid the president in tlie 
enforcement of discipline. No professor or instructor was to be 
absent from duty nor to be employed in any work not naturally 
within the scope of his duties without the consent of the board. All 
teachers were to be employed for one year and were to be in 
attendance at the university from September 1 to July 1. They were 



172 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

expected to attend the National Educational Association and the 
Arkansas State Teachers' Association occasionally, and such others 
as the president should determine. 

Few changes were made in the personnel of the faculty at the 
beginning of this administration. W. A. Ramsey became the principal 
of the preparatory department and A. A. Steel was added to the 
department of geology and mining as associate professor, and Antonio 
Marinoni became associate professor of Romance languages. Dr. 
Muckenfuss resigning in the summer, was succeeded in the department 
of chemistry by Dr. C. G. Carroll, who came from the Southwestern 
University. On the resignation of Professor Carr in 1906 Professor 
E. F. Shannon, who had been with the university for several years, 
was made head of the department of English. At the same time 
Professor Marinoni became head of the newly created department of 
Romance languages and Joachim Reinhardt came from the Eastern 
College of Virginia to take charge of the department of Germanic 
languages. The following year he was succeeded by Max Lentz, 
and Carroll F. Armstead became commandant in place of Ernest 
Given Howe, who had served in that capacity for 1906-07. At the 
same time Heinrich Schapper, who had been with the university since 
1904, became head of the newly created department of physics. The 
following year he was succeeded by G. E. Ripley. Miss Yates having 
resigned from the conservatory of music and arts, H. D. Tovey 
became director in her stead. In 1909 Professor Shannon secured a 
two-years' leave of absence, the law forbidding such having been 
repealed the previous winter, during which time the department of 
English is to be in charge of O. D. Wannamaker. The same year 
Lieutenant Robert D. Carter took charge of the department of military 
science and tactics. 

A number of changes have also been made in the College of Agri- 
culture and the experiment station staff. Professor Cole having been 
made professor of agriculture in 1905, Robert W. Wade became 
agriculturist of the station and Charles F. Adams was added as 
entomologist and Joseph Lee Hewitt as assistant horticulturist. In 
1906 Wilfred Lenton was added as veterinarian, Carl H. Tourgee as 
assistant dairy husbandman, and Rufus J. Nelson took charge of the 
branch stations as field asent. The following vear C. P. Norgord 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT TILLMAN. 173 



succeeded Professor Wade as agriculturist of the station and professor 
of agronomy in the College of Agriculture. In February, 1908, R. J. 
Nelson succeeded G. A. Cole as professor of agriculture and the 
following summer W. M. Bruce succeeded Professor Norton as 
chemist and IMartin Nelson succeeded Professor Norgord. In June, 
1909, Dr. R. R. Dinwiddie announced his desire to retire and A. K. 
Short, who had served two years as adjunct, was put in charge of 
the department of animal pathology. The department of vegetable 
pathology was created and J. L. Hewitt was put in charge. The 
following table will illustrate graphically the growth in the instruc- 
tional force : 

I 904- I 905 1905- 1906 1908- 1909 

The Colleges Arts Tech. Arts Tech. Agri. Arts Tech. Agn. 

Professors 12 3 12 3 2 14 3 8 

Associates 3 3 o 5 2 o 

Adjuncts 2 I 2 2 3 2 5 

Instructors o 3 3 3 7 3 2 o 

Totals 17 7 20 8 9 25 9 13 

Total for Colleges 24 2)7 47 

Conservatory 6 6 10 

Preparatory 10 10 11 

Station 6 8 13 

Totals at Fayetteville. . . 4b 51 90 

Counted Twice 2 8 12 

Net Totals 44 43 78 

Medicine 25 31 33 

Law 15 13 16 

Branch Normal 10 10 10 

Grand Totals 96 97 137 



174 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

The rapid growth in attendance is illustrated by the following 
table : 

1904-5 1905-6 1908-9 

Collegiate. 

Arts and Science 170 220 370 

Engineering 127 129 155 

Agriculture 10 13 13 

Special and short course.... 74 136 82 

Total Collegiate 381 498 620 

Conservatory 19 26 36 

Preparatory 410 548 361 

Unclassified 114 

Total at Fayetteville 810 1071 1133 

Medical 212 171 171 

Law 42 46 65 

Branch Normal 206 240 300 

Grand Totals 1270 1528 1669 

There has been a decline in students at Fayetteville in the prepara- 
tory grades and it has been continuous since 1905-06, though it was 
not really noteworthy until 1908-09. Two causes probably have 
contributed to this result. One is the improvement in the high 
schools of the State and the other is the continued agitation for the 
abolition of the preparatory department, which finally resulted in 
an announcement in 1908 that such would be done. The increase in 
collegiate students has been altogether gratifying. 

The appropriations have grown some, but not at a pace sufficiently 
rapid to be altogether satisfactory. By act of March 16, 1906, known 
as the Adams act, the Federal appropriation for the experiment 
stations was increased $5,000 for the year ending June 30, 1906, and 
$2,000 annually thereafter until the increase reaches $15,000, making 
the total Federal funds for the station $30,000 a year. By the Nelson 
act of March 4, 1907, congress provided for an annual increase of 
$5,000 in the federal fund beginning with the year ending June 30, 
1908, and extending over five years so as ultimately to make the 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT TILLMAN 175 

federal appropriation for the university amount to $50,000. The 
appropriations for the two biennial periods of this administration 
were as follows : 

1907 

University. Ex-Station. Totals. 

State $194,590.00 $35,200 $229,790.00 

U. S 25.454.54 50,000 75,454.54 

Totals $220044.54 $85,200 $314,790.00 

1909 

State $219,915.00 $55,900 $275,815.00 

U. S 36,727.27 54,000 90,727.27 

Totals $256,642.27 $109,900 $366,542.27 

Less items vetoed. .. . 31,000.00 19,000 50,000.00 

Net totals $225,642.27 $90,900 $316542.27 

In addition to the above sums the university enjoys a considerable 
revenue from the matriculation fee, which is $10.00 for each student. 
Up to 1907 the income from the endowment was $3,930 per annum. 
In the adjustment with Fayetteville that year, $9,000 was left 
uninvested, consequently the annual income was reduced to $3,480. 

The total federal api)ropriation for the university for each of the 
two years was $35,000 and $45,000, of which three-elevenths goes to 
the branch normal at Pine Bluff. The vetoes are to be explained 
in this way. After looking- over the financial situation, the governor 
became convinced that the legislature was appropriating- more money 
than the state's revenue would supply. Having reached this decision 
before signing- the experiment station bill, he called the board of 
trustees together and consulted with them in regard to what items 
could be sacrified with the least injury. The result was that they 
agreed to cutting- out $19,000. The university bill had already been 
signed, but this was gone over and $31,000 was set aside which the 
trustees ageed not to use and to return to the state treasury. Besides 
the above sums there was in 1907 a legislative appropriation of 



176 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

$55,630.31 to cover deficiencies. The two largest items were $26,300 
for salaries and $21,688.81 to pay the balance due on contract for work 
on and materials used in constructing the six buildings provided for 
in the act of 1905. 

The salary deficienc}^ had been running- for several years and 
originated in the following way. The Barker act of 1887 had fixed 
the salaries of the president and faculty, but the act of 1891 had 
repealed this and directed that the salaries be fixed by the board of 
trustees. After inserting this section from the act of 1891 the 
compilers of Sandel and Hill's Digest followed it by the contradictory 
act of 1887, which had fixed the salaries by law. When the 
appropriation bill of 1903 was drawn up it contained an item of $65,000 
for salaries, all of which was needed to cover the salaries then paid. 
When the bill was under discussion in committee of the whole Mr. 
Barker, who was a member of the legislature of 1903, read his section 
from the act of 1887 and said, "That is the law." He then read a list 
of the salaries paid at the university and declared that the board was 
violating the law. With that as a preface he moved that nearly half 
the item be stricken from the bill. The friends of the university in 
the house were disconcerted and really did not know what line of 
defense to follow. The result was a salary item of only $40,000. But 
the trustees did not reduce salaries. Instead they simply drew upon 
the fund until it was exhausted and then waited until the new 
appropriation was available. The result was that by 1907 a salary 
deficiency of $26,300 had accumulated. President Tillman then 
decided that the time had come to square accounts and secured the 
passage of a deficiency bill, though not without considerable 
opposition. This opposition to the salary item was due to the same 
misapprehension of the law as had prevailed in 1903, but President 
Tillman, who had written the law of 1891, was present and fully 
prepared to explain the situation. Opposition to the item for the 
contractors was based on the supposition that it was for extra work. 
In reality it was due to the fact that the board had accepted from the 
architects plans for buildings which could not have been built within 
the appropriation. 

The College of Arts and Sciences has expanded during this 
administration by the creation of three new departments by separating 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT TILLMAN. 177 

the work naturally belonging to them from others to which it had 
been attached by an unnatural alliance, and by additions to several 
of the departments already existing. In 1906, after a long series of 
recommendations to that effect, the department of English was 
relieved of the burden of modern languages and two new departments 
were created, that of Romance languages and that of Germanic 
languages. A year later physics, after years of subordination to 
different departments, was finally separated from its last master, 
electrical engineering, and given independence. Several of the depart- 
ments, notably English, mathematics, history and political science, 
economics and sociology, were strengthened by the addition of 
associates and instructors of scholarship and experience. 

One of the more noteworthy acts of the first year of this 
administration was the organization of the College of Agriculture. 
The legislature of 1905 had directed that courses of study in 
agriculture should be instituted in connection with the experiment 
station, but the board adjourned without making any provision of 
the kind. It was then left to the new president, acting in conjunction 
with the director of the experiment station, to carry out the wishes 
of the legislature and this they did in the College of Agriculture, the 
instructional force of which was supplied for the most part by the 
station. The following- year, when the organization had been 
thoroughly perfected, the departments of horticulture and agriculture 
were separated entirely from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 
with which they had been associated up to this time. 

The experiment station staff has been more than doubled. In 
1904-05 there were six men on the stafl: ; in 1905-06 there were eight; 
in 1909 there were thirteen. 

Another advance hardly second in importance to this was taken 
in 1909 in the appointment of a professor of secondary education. 
The president had been working to this end for some time and was 
glad to announce that it had been made possible by the General 
Education Board after a visit to the university by its secretary. Dr. 
AVallace Buttrick. Eor the present at least it is not intended that 
the holder of this position shall reside at the university and give 
instruction. His chief service will be to visit the high schools of the 
State with a view to conferring with the principals and helping them 



178 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

to raise their standards and equipments and to assist in the establish- 
ment of such schools where not found at present. He will work in 
harmony with the committee on accredited schools and it is expected 
that this will bring" about a closer relationship between the university 
and the public-school system of the State. 

Directly in line with this work comes the abolition of the 
preparatory department. Early in the year 1908-09 the faculty voted 
to abolish the A class after June, 1909, and announced that the 
sub-freshman class would follow it as soon as the condition of the 
secondary schools in the State would warrant such action. At that 
time it was not known that a professor of secondary education 
would be secured. The legislature of 1909 then took up the matter, 
and on the recommendation of the president, fixed the time for its 
discontinuance at June, 1911. 

In 1908 the department of physical culture and athletics was 
created and the director was made a member of the faculty. This 
was done in pursuance of a policy designed to put athletics on a 
higher plane and to eventuate in a department of physical culture 
with a commodious gymnasium. 

No revolutions in the courses of study have characterized this 
administration, though several changes of importance have been made. 
The B. S. degree was dropped in 1908 and mathematics ceased to be 
a required subject. At the same time the requirements for graduation 
in the arts and science courses were raised to sixty-four periods. 
A hig-hly specialized course leading- to the B. S. in Physics was also 
introduced this year, and in the technical school a course leading- to 
the B. S. in Cement Engineering. Although the legislature had made 
no appropriation for such work, the president and faculty decided 
to inaugurate a summer session in 1910. It is intended primarily for 
teachers in the common and hig-h schools. If successful and supported 
by the legislature, it will become a permanent feature and regular 
college work will be offered. 

An important step was taken in the spring- of 1909 when the facult}^ 
voted to raise the entrance requirements one unit each year until they 
reach fourteen. The faculty were not unanimous in making- this 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT TILLMAN. 179 

decision. Those opposed stated that they did not beheve the condition 
of the secondary schools would justify it. But when the decision 
was reached all cheerfully acquiesced. 

In his very first report the new executive boldly took up the 
subject of tenure, declaring that there was a "hurtful unrest among 
the professors and instructors because of a general feeling among 
them that their tenure is insecure. In consequence of this they are 
constantly looking out for employment elsewhere and often secure it, 
thereby forcing us to be constantly taking up new and untried men. 
I am convinced that a longer and more certain tenure should be 
secured for officers and employes. A strong man or woman will build 
up a following among students, and the longer this teacher remains, 
the larger this following will be. The students, when they go out 
into the State, will take more interest in the university if their 
favorites continue as members of the facult}- than they will if strangers 
take their places." 

This produced no immediate effect, but in 1907 the board rescinded 
the rule that teachers should not be elected until after commencement 
and proceeded to elect the president for a term of five years and the 
director of the experiment station and the heads of departments for 
four. 

On the question of salaries there has been some advance, though 
the situation is not A^et satisfactory. The president's salary was raised 
to $4,000 in 1907 and that of the director of the experiment station to 
$3,000. though the latter has since been reduced to $2,500. Most of 
the heads of the departments have been raised to $2,000 and the 
associates and other instructors range from $1,800 down. In 1909 
a serious effort was made in the board to go beyond $2,000 and it 
probably would have succeeded, had it not been feared that the funds 
would not warrant such increase after the board had agreed with 
the governor not to call on the state treasurer for $31,000 of the sum 
appropriated by the legislature. 

In the matter of buildings this administration has done but little 
more than carry out the work provided for by the legislature of 1905. 
Not content with this a strong appeal was made to the legislature 
of 1907 for buildings for geology and the museum, for physics, 



180 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. and gymnasium, library, auditorium, 
textile school, shops, observatory, dormitory, and power and light 
plant, the total to cost $420,000. Either because staggered by this 
sum or because of a feeling that the work of 1905 was enough for a 
season the legislators refused everything. The desperate condition of 
the department of physics caused the board to appropriate $1,000 
for a temporary building, but this was destroyed by fire in the fall 
of 1909. In 1909 only three buildings were asked for, a library and 
auditorium, a building for geology, mining, physics, and the museum, 
and one for the Christian associations, the armory and gymnasium, 
but again the legislature gave nothing for buildings. 

Two explanations may be offered for this. The state treasury was 
already threatened with a deficit and the legislature was growing 
a little inclined to econom}^ But more important than this was the 
agitation for the removal of the university to Little Rock. A bill 
having this end in view was pending in the senate and finally passed, 
but, after having created a good deal of uneasiness among the friends 
of the university at its present location, it failed in the house. 

One of the first acts of the administration was to change the policy 
of ignoring the fraternities. At the very opening of the fall term 
in 1905 the prohibitory rules were repealed and new rules and 
regulations were adopted. These provided that no one should be 
initiated into any secret society until officially informed by the 
recorder of grades that all work required for admission had been 
completed and also fifteen hours of freshman work for one term. Any 
secret organization violating this rule should forfeit its right to exist. 
It was also provided that keeping liquor stored in any chapter house 
or allowing drinking therein should work forfeiture. A bill was 
formulated repealing the anti-fraternity law and the faculty requested 
the legislature to pass it, but the law is still on the statute books. 

One case of discipline has occurred under rules last adopted. In 
February, 1907, a sorority was found guilty of violating the rule 
about initiations and was ordered to disband. At the June meeting 
the board requested the faculty to allow the society to reorganize, 
stating that they approved of the action of the faculty, but that they 
believed the guilty ones had been sufficiently punished. The faculty 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT TILLMAN. 181 

acquiesced in this request and the sorority was allowed to resume 
operations. Since then there have been no more troubles of this kind. 

The law as it now stands and as it is interpreted undoubtedly is a 
most unfortunate compromise. The present policy of the university 
is to treat the fraternities, not as pariahs, but as useful adjuncts in 
realizing- the best results from college life. When they come together 
in chapter houses, as some are doing, they need intelligent and 
sympathetic supervision. There may have been some unwise partici- 
pation on the part of some members of the faculty in the fraternities 
and the law did well to prohibit this, if it could not have been prevented 
otherwise, but, as the law stands, it practically makes impossible 
efficient supervision by the faculty. Rules may be laid down and 
penalties may be inflicted for their violation, but that is not enoug-h, 
if the chapter houses are to make any approach toward standing- as 
a temporary substitute for the home. 

Another most unfortunate result is the position of the fraternity 
man with respect to honors and distinctions. It tends to deaden 
his ambition and sometimes throws a prize into less capable hands. 
Occasionally prizes have not even been awarded because there were no 
contestants. Though the literar)^ societies are doing moderately well, 
they probably suffer, for, however earnest and loyal the fraternity 
man may be in his literary work, he can never realize a laudable 
ambition to represent his society in public. The college magazine 
died with the advent of the anti-fraternity law. Whether there was 
any connection betw^een the two the writer can not say. 

In spite of the disadvantages under which they labor most of the 
fraternity men have not lost interest in scholarship and good conduct. 
In a few instances they have aided in the maintenance of discipline 
by taking their own members in hand and dealing with them before 
it became absolutely necessary for the university authorities to do 
so. Some of them take a special interest in their freshmen and 
endeavor to start them on the road to scholarship and good character. 
For a time there was a tendency to give too much time to dances and 
other social functions, but this has been checked by friendly 
admonitions from the president and a few restrictive rules. 



182 , HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Happily the bitterness of strife between the fraternity and the 
non-fraternity men has passed away. At this writing a movement 
is on foot among- the non-fraternity men to ask the legislature to 
repeal the anti-fraternity law. 

The advent of President Tillman marked a change in the method 
of discipline which has brought commendable results. Down to this 
time practically all cases of misconduct on the part of students were 
brought before the faculty. In his inaugural President Tillman 
intimated that the discipline in the future would be vigorously 
enforced under his personal direction and the intimation has been 
carried out. Practically the whole matter is now controlled by the 
president and the commandant. The faculty is rarely called to 
consider such cases and their meetings have become far less frequent. 
In consequence it is possible for them now to devote their time in 
faculty meetings to the discussions of the larger problems of 
university organization and government. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 



L Entil\xce Requirements. 

October 2. 187 L the committee appointed to visit the universities 
of Michigan and Illinois made their report. From this it appears 
that the committee was more favorably impressed with the course 
of studv in Michigan, where there were no optional studies and each 
student was required to labor a certain amount of time. 

This was the beginning of a conflict of ideals which required time 
for settlement. The question of optional studies, except as made 
possible by a variety of prescribed courses, was settled in the negative 
until within recent }-ears. The question of the relative importance of 
agricultural and mechanical courses on the one hand and of the arts 
courses on the other was one of constant recurrence. At times 
one was designedly put forward, at other times attempts were made 
to give the other first place. Bearing this in mind the reader can 
better appreciate the changes in courses of study and the degrees 
offered. In the earlier days the general policy of the institution in 
this matter was governed by the board, sometimes at the dictation of 
the legislature, sometimes at the suggestion of the faculty. For many 
years the faculty has taken the lead in matters of educational policy, 
with only occasional interference by the board. In 1873 the executive 
committee was authorized to "make the necessary changes or 
modifications in the course of study and adopt suitable text books," 
but the details were generally worked out by the faculty. 

During the first year ending June 28, 1872, there were no collegiate 
students. The conditions prescribed for admission to freshmen in the 
fall of 1872 were "a satisfactory examination in reading, spelling, 
penmanship, algebra to equations of the second degree, English 
grammar, geography, arithmetic, Harkness' Introductory Latin Book, 
and Harkness' Latin Reader, or their equivalents." Candidates must 
also be of good moral character and not under fourteen vears of age. 



186 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

This statement remained unchanged until the announcements were 
made for 1877-8. It was then identical with the above except for the 
omission of Latin. As Csesar was prescribed in the freshman year 
of the classical course, the presumption is that the candidate for this 
course must still present elementary Latin, while candidates for other 
courses, agriculture, commerce, normal and engineering, were 
admitted on other subjects. It was announced that, beginning with 
September 1, 1879, freshmen would not be required to present or 
study Greek, but this decision seems to have been reconsidered, for 
the next year two books of Xenophon were required of classical 
students, as well as two books of Csesar. 

Beginning with the fall of 1880 something additional was required 
in some of the courses other than classical, where the ancient languages 
were omitted, but this was not always true. Students in the course 
in Latin letters presented the same as the classical students except 
that they omitted Greek. In the modern language, scientific, civil, 
and mining engineering courses United States history was required 
and "French and German as required in the A and sub-freshman 
classes," though it is difficult to determine just what that was. 
Candidates for the course of English letters had to present United 
States history only, while the agricultural student had to prove himself 
able to enter the scientific course, except that French was not 
obligatory. Only "the common English branches" were required of 
candidates for the normal. At first candidates for this course were 
required to pledge themselves to teach two years, but this was declared 
repealed in 1878. In 1877 it was announced that no student under 
sixteen would be admitted to the normal department, but two years 
later, on motion of Trustee Gregg, the age limit was reduced to 
fourteen. 

Between this time and 1885 the published requirements showed 
no advance of consequence, but we must believe that there was a 
toning up in the application of the tests for admission. For some 
reason there was a decrease in the number of collegiate students. The 
legislative committee of 1885 thought that the main reason for this 
was the fact that the grade had been considerably advanced. They 
were of the opinion that "the requirements for entrance into the 
college classes might be reduced so as to admit in the freshman class 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 187 

the sub-freshman, which would merely double the number of students 
in college classes." Pursuant to this recommendation the legislature 
resolved that the board be "requested to lower the course of study 
in the collegiate department to its former standard." 

Colonel Edgar, the president, now submitted a series of questions 
to the faculty, one of which was whether entrance requirements should 
be lowered so as to include the sub-freshman class in freshman. Most 
of the faculty advised against it, though Professor Conrad, whose stifif 
courses had been the chief cause of complaint, recommended the 
change, saying that the State was not prepared to sustain the standard 
they had set. A sort of compromise was effected by making no 
statement whatever concerning requirements for the next two years, 
but at the end of that time the requirements were raised by the 
addition of three books of plane geometry, and also Latin was required, 
if the course selected embraced that study. No attempt whatever was 
made to equalize the requirements for admission to the different 
courses. 

In 1891, for the first time a somewhat detailed statement of the 
requirements was published in the catalogue, followed by specimen 
examinations. Psychology is the only subject not previously men- 
tioned, and United States history is now included for all courses, while 
a few subjects have been dropped. There are eight subjects in all, 
English (Meiklejohn's Grammar and a composition), arithmetic, 
algebra, plane geometry, history, geography, Latin, and physiology. 
The statement is made that three books of Caesar will be required in 
1893 and 1894. These requirements are referred to as prerequisite for 
all the regular courses. Whether Latin was actually required of 
scientific and engineering students the writer can not sa3\ The 
following year it was not required except in the arts and normal 
courses. Candidates for the other schools were not required to present 
any equivalent. The announcement made in 1892 that five books of 
plane geometry would be required in 1893 was not made good until 
1899, though algebra was increased to simultaneous quadratic 
equations in 1896. 

Except for the substitution of Raub's Rhetoric for Meiklejohn's 
Grammar as a basis for the examination in English and the inclusion 
of general history (1893) no other change was made until 1896, when 



188 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

it was announced that, beginning with 1898, the requirements in 
English would be those of the American Association of Colleges. This 
system was then followed without further change until 1902-03, when 
an entirely different scheme of admission was adopted, to become 
effective in September, 1903. 

The new plan was based on a system of credits, partly constant 
and partly elective. A credit was defined as consisting of one 
recitation of sixty minutes, or two of thirty minutes, in a study for 
a school year of thirty-six weeks. Candidates for the B. A., B. S., and 
normal courses were required to present thirty-one credits ; for the 
engineering courses, twenty-four credits. The following credits were 
required of candidates for the B. A., B. S., and normal courses: 
English, 8; algebra, 5; plane geometry, 4; United States history, 3; 
general or Greek and Roman history, 3 ; making a total of 23. In 
addition he must present eight credits from one of two groups of 
studies. The first consisted entirely of foreign languages, ancient and 
modern ; the second of scientific studies, English, history, civil 
government, and bookkeeping. The candidate for the B. A. degree 
was restricted to the language group and the eight credits must all 
be in one language. The constants required of engineering students 
were the same as of B. A.'s except for the last named, giving a total of 
20. Four credits in addition were required, selected from either the 
language or science group. 

The subjects which one might present were necessarily more 
numerous than before. In addition to those previously named the 
candidate could now offer Greek, German, French, chemistry, physics, 
physical geography, botany, zoology, civil government, bookkeeping, 
freehand drawing, and shop work. 

This system, somewhat modified, is still in force. In 1908 the 
"unit" language was adopted. Candidates for the B. A., B. Mus., and 
normal courses were required to present 3 units in English, 2 in 
algebra, 1 in plane geometry, Yz in United States history, and 1 in 
general or Greek and Roman history, and in addition 3 from the 
language group, at least two of which must be in one language, except 
that normals might select three units from either the language or 
science group. The corresponding change was made for the agri- 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 189 

cultural, scientific, and engineering courses. In the spring of 1909 
the faculty decided to raise the entrance requirements one unit each 
year, beginning in September, 1909, until they reached fourteen. 

Accredited Schools. 

It is presumed that the "satisfactory examination" in the subjects 
required for admission during the first two decades of the university 
was made by written or oral tests. In 1891 the university, following 
the fashion of the day, began to publish specimen examinations for 
entrance to the freshman class. With the growth of the accredited 
school system the custom of examinations has almost reached the 
vanishing point. 

December, 1888, in his report to the board, President Murfee asked 
that the faculty be authorized to draw plans by which schools of a 
required standard might have the privilege of entering their graduates 
at the university on certificate. This system, he thought, would 
stimulate public and private schools to regulate their standards 
according to the curriculum of the university and would prove a good 
tonic for the whole educational system. 

A faculty committee on accredited schools was appointed and its 
first report was handed in August 24, 1889. It proposed that any 
school desiring to be accredited should make application to the faculty, 
giving a full statement of the course of study. It should then be 
accredited on one or more subjects at the discretion of the faculty. 
Students coming from such schools should be admitted to college 
classes in those subjects in which they bore certificates. Provision 
was also made for accrediting to sub-freshman onl}^ These privileges 
might be withdrawn at any time for cause. No mention is made of 
this subject in the catalogue previous to that of 1891. It was then 
stated that, on the application of any principal to be accredited, an 
officer of the university would be sent to examine his courses of 
study and methods of teaching. Once accredited, that relation would 
continue until there was a change of principals or the school was 
notified that it was deficient. The university further promised to do 
all in its power to promote cordial relations in the various branches 
of the common school system. No list of accredited schools was 



190 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OFj ARKANSAS. 

published until 1892, when the Fort Smith public high school headed 
and closed the list. The following year the Rogers Academy was 
added. 

In July, 1893, a standing committee of three, one from each college, 
was appointed to take charge of this matter and work up the system. 
They were instructed to print circulars giving information on the steps 
necessary for any school to take to become accredited; to send out 
invitations to principals to apply for the accredited relation ; to prepare 
and print certificates to be used, and to cooperate with the committee 
of the State Teachers' Association in the preparation of a course of 
study for the high schools of the State. 

The following year thirty-three schools applied for the accredited 
relation and by the close of the 5''ear the list of those accorded this 
privilege had risen to ten. That this privilege was not to be had 
merely for the asking is evidenced by the fact that only twenty-three 
were enjoying it at the close of the year 1895-96. One of these was 
the University Academy at Columbia, Missouri. In the next four 
years the list was increased by only five, and in the following three 
years was reduced by one. More care was now being exercised in 
the examination. The committee required information covering the 
subjects taught, the extent of instruction in each, the text-books used, 
the length of the recitation periods, the length of the session, the 
methods of teaching, the names, qualifications, and experience of those 
teachers doing high school work and the library and laboratory 
facilities. In 1904 it was announced that, to prepare for freshman, 
the high school work must cover three years of thirty-six weeks each 
and be based on an elementary course of seven or eight years. There 
was a manifest distrust of pretentious schools. Some difficulty was 
experienced in getting students to bring certificates properly filled out. 
Since 1905 this requirement has been rigidly enforced. At times the 
work of the committee has been hampered by lack of funds to pay 
expenses of visitation. The board appropriated two hundred dollars 
for this in 1895 and four hundred in 1896. Since then when visits 
of inspection could not be made in connection with some other trip 
the expenses have been met out of the contingent fund. 

In 1899-1900, when the standing committees were first published, 
the committee on accredited schools consisted of Professors lordan 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 191 

and Broke and Miss Davies ; the following year of Professors Jordan, 
Menke and Broke, no attention being- paid now to the three different 
colleges. Since 1902 Professors Re3aiolds and Bunn have been on 
the committee and at a later period Professors Shannon and Carroll 
were associated with them. 

The prediction of President Murfee, under whom the system was 
inaugurated in Arkansas, that it would tone up the whole educational 
system has been fulfilled. The policy of the committee has always 
been to suggest and help, not to dictate, except in the matter that 
certain standards must be met before the accredited relation can be 
granted. The elective system has left the high schools free to develop 
their own courses of study, it not being necessary for all to adopt any 
hard and fast curriculum to conform to university requirements. The 
suggestions of the committee have been received in liberal spirit by 
most high school principals wdio have looked upon the accredited 
relation as an honor to be desired. By 1906 the number of schools 
on the list had grown to forty-six, and the standards were much 
higher than when the system was begun ; in 1910 the number was 85. 

When the professor of secondary education was added to the 
universitv force the committee on accredited schools decided upon 
some changes in the system of accrediting. Beginning with 1910 
accredited schools are divided into three classes denominated A, 
B, and C. The class into which any school falls is determined mainly 
by the number of units it offers, by its teaching force, equipment, 
number of pupils, and its financial support. In order to fall into 
class A, a school must prepare its students in fourteen units and 
should have at least three teachers devoting all their time to high 
school work; class B, a minimum of eleven units and one and one-half 
teachers ; class C. eight units and at least one teacher. All such 
schools must be based on a common school course of at least seven 
grades. Schools seeking credit for sciences should provide laboratories 
for experimental work and should require the students to prepare note 
books. Schools in classes C and B are not encouraged to offer any 
courses in science and schools in class A are advised to build up one 
laboratory at a time, beginning on one for another science only after 
the first has been made adequate for the work attempted. 



192 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Schools desiring the accredited relation will be asked to supply 
detailed information with respect to courses of study, teaching force, 
equipment, length of term and recitation periods. If the statements 
are satisfactory the school may then be requested to submit specimen 
examination papers, outline maps, compositions and science note- 
books, all graded by the teachers. If deemed necessary, a personal 
inspection will then be made by the professor of secondary education 
or some other representative of the university. 

Preparatory Department. 

The University of Arkansas began as a preparatory school, or, 
more correctly, as a crudely graded school. The authorities declared 
that the educational facilities of the State, with the exception of a 
few favored localities, were such that students desirous of a collegiate 
or normal education were unable to prepare themselves to enter the 
university or the normal department. In consequence of this they 
proceeded to establish a preparatory school, "making it auxiliary to 
the higher departments and designing it especially to prepare pupils 
who might enter it for these departments." Another design was to 
supply material for a model or training school for the normal and 
the president was authorized to organize such a school. 

The course of study prescribed for the preparatory students began 
with charts and the first reader and extended over five years. Within 
that time the student was expected to master the five readers and a 
certain amount of arithmetic, geography, grammar, physiology, 
botany, geology, history of the United States, drawing, penmanship 
and music. At first he was not supposed to begin Latin until the 
second term of the fifth year, and algebra the third term, but Latin 
was soon pushed down a year. 

The institution was thrown open to students January 22, 1872. 
By the end of the session ninety-one students had enrolled in the 
preparatory department and ten in the normal, though all were of 
preparatory grade. More than half were of Fayetteville. 

The five-year course was retained until 1878, when it was reduced 
to three. The first year began with Asgood's American Fourth 
Reader and the sixth reader was used throughout the third or 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 193 

sub-freshman year. Latin and Greek were not begun until the last 
vear, Harkness" texts being used. A\'ithin a year this amount of time 
was found inadequate to meet the demands and the classes were 
increased to four. The lowest was called the "C" class. Beginning 
with the "A" class an attempt was made to classify the students on 
the basis of their future collegiate careers and to provide corresponding- 
courses of study for classical, scientific, engineering, and English 
students. These distinctions were dropped at the end of one year. 
At this time the age of students ranged from 9 to 31. 

In 1886 the preparatory department was replaced by the high 
school department and the grammar school. The former embraced 
the following courses: (1) language course; (2) short normal course; 
(3) business course.* All below was the grammar school. One reason 
for this change was in the words of President Edgar, "the greater 
dignity that would attach to the A and sub-freshman classes by 
having them regarded as the high school department." Another was 
that it would make possible the subjection of students below the A 
grade to a discipline more adapted to their years and advancement. 
In another year the preparatory department reappears with A and 
sub-freshman classes. The 15 class was retained for all not qualified 
to enter A, but they were now regarded as so far beyond the pale 
that the board of trustees "limited the labor required in their case." 

In the general reorganization of 1891 it was felt that the 
preparatory department could not be left untouched, so it evolves 
into the "University High School" with these aims: (1) To prepare 
for the university; (2) to furnish an opportunity for a good general 
education to students unable to pursue a longer course ; (3) to furnish 
young men and young women an opportunity to secure a good business 
education. To secure these ends it was stated that three courses were 
offered, but only two were outlined. One was a "general course, 
based on mathematics, English, history, science, and Latin, the other 
was called the "engineering and agricultural course," and included a 
little bookkeeping as well as some subjects peculiar to those courses. 
These were two-year courses but B and irregular students were still 
received. 



I 



194 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



riu- l'ni\crsiU- llii;h Scluuil lasted one yoar, wlion tho old 
proiuiraUn-y departnicnt rt\^aiiiod its own, a posiiimi it hold until 
18^)". when it A\'as replaced In' the present " rre|iarator\ School." Like 
its usnrpinL; prcilccessor it had three aims. The first two were an 
inheritance. Inil the third was to "pi'cpare teachers \ov the |niblic 
granuuar schools oi the Slate." In I'nirdlment o\ these aims four 
two-vear courses were ottered, an ai^rictdtural course, an en>;ineerinj>' 
and manual Iraiuini^ course, a scientihc course, and a classical conrse, 
atul se\enteeii instructe^rs were proxided (a year later) to lurnish 
applicants the necessary store of knowlcdi^e. llowe\er, all InU six of 
these were primarily eni;ay;ed in other departments and onh inci- 
dentally instructing a class or two in the jtreparatory department. 
The ]^> class disappears after 1S'\\ Inu "irreytdars" are still found for 
a while. 

l^)eQinninL; with IS'^r only two courses were offered, an engiucerini;' 
and mechanic arts course and a general course. Tw^o years later a new 
system was adopted which in effect doubled the number of courses, 
though the differences between some oi them w^ere slight. The 
subjects taught in the preparatory- department were simply listed and 
the amount and character of work required tor admission to the 
college in the arts, engineering, scientific, and teachers" courses were 
indicated. Sttulents once enrolled (^presumably in the ,\ class) must 
complete 34 hours before dropping preparatory sttidies. 

The foregoing was in effect a sort of elcctix e s\'stem. .\ more 
satisfactory system w^as introduced into the i-»reparatory department 
bv the revolution o\ I'H).^ in the college. There was now a certain 
amoinit of 

Rtxiuircd Work. i-si yoar. _'(1 your. 

Arithnsclic - 

Algebra 3 2 

Englisli 4 4 

Goonictry o 4 

History, U. S •■ . . ,> "3 

flistory, Greece and Rome o 3 

Totals 1-' 13 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. lUf) 

In .-nldition llic sliidciil niiisl clccl fiiiir Inmrs r:\c\\ \c:\y fi'()iii 

I -I year. _'<! N'cir. 

I .aliii . , \ 4 

( icnuaii I 4 

riiysicil ( iriii;iaiiliy .] O 

Nalnii- Sillily I o 

l'.iiukkcc|ilnL; I O 

VV IwMtl J O 

ImhK'' W'nvU I 

IMiysioloKy 2 

riiysirs O 2 

( 'ivies 2 

I )ra\\ iiiy n 2 

Stndi'iils 1(1 l.'ilsc llir W. A roiirsr wvvr ic(|iiir('(| l(i v\vc\ I'illuT 
I,;itin or (iiTm.iii. IIimsc (Ifsirin!- In take llic cii^iin'criiiL; course 
could oiuit ( iifi'k ;iiid Kiuii.ni liishny ;ind idocl any jOur hours of 
elect i\i' \\(iik. Tlicic \^ as also a Icachcr's coursi- wliicli re(juire(l 
no I .al ill I ir ( iiMiiia ii ( h pli \ sics. 

Ill l''(),S I Ik- aiiioiiiil of pri'paralorN' work' yvas vedui'cd from .^3 to 
32 hours. ,\l the v.iMic liiiic the ciilraiUH' i\'(|uiri'UU'iil s wiTe raised 
the c(|ui\'aK'iil ol li\i.' Iiouis. The followiu;..; way llic A class was 
aholislu'd all( >l;cI her, K'a\iii^ <iiil\ (Hir \i'ar of suh C( ilK'^c work iu 
the pri'paralorx scIkmiI. As llie I'lil raiuc r<'(|uir('uu'iils to ihe t'olK'^e 
are heinu; raised also lo keep pace willi I hem. 

As lale as 1S')7 the I'lii oHnu'iil I'f llir prt'paratoi\ school was ()0 
per cent of llic loial al k'a \ctl exilic. Since then the decrease has 
coutinucd tiiilil !*'()'), when it had fallen to 3.^ per cent. The faculty 
and hoard lia\i' Nolcd to abolish llic dcparlnieiit aIloi;cllicr after the 
year I'^lO-ll. 

\\ hen the i)rcparalor\ department was first ori;aui/.e(l it was put 
uu(K'r till' direct snpci \ ision ol the pi I'sidi'iil ol the uiii\ t-rsit y wluj was 
instructed to draw up lln' course of study and supervisi- tlu> work. 
J?cj;inuiuL; with 1X77 il has hccn in change ol a prim-ipal who (Kwoled 
all his lime to llu- department except lor a lew \eais when it was 
cond)incd with the noimal dc|)arl nicnt . The lolhiwin^ have seiwed 
as principals : 

C). h'. Uusscll, 1S77: II. M, W Clch, ISSO; |. I-. I I. .well, ISSS; Mrs. 



196 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

A. M. Tyler, 1892; B. J. Dunn, 1894; W. A. Crawford, 1897; J. W. 
Kuykendall, 1901 ; W. A. Ramsey, 1905. 

II. COURSES OF STUDY. 
The College. 

In the first catalogue (1872) only one course was outlined, besides 
the normal course, and this was styled simply "General Course." 
Apparently this course was intended to lead to the B. A., though no 
mention was ever made of any such degree until 1877. The studies 
were listed in two columns, one marked "regular," the other "optional." 
Under the latter appeared Greek, French, German, chemistry, civil 
engineering, evidences of Christianity and social science, but it is not 
clear whether the student must choose some study among these each 
year or whether he could omit them altogether. The "regular" studies 
included mathematics (from algebra to analytics), Latin (Caesar in 
freshman), several of the various sciences, and a little English, history, 
philosophy, political economy, and constitutional law. 

The following year this course was styled "classical" and there 
were no optional studies. It was a four-year course and each year was 
divided into three terms. The number of hours devoted to each subject 
was not indicated. Expressed in the language of "terms" of which 
there were three in the school year, the following were the require- 
ments : mathematics, 11; English, 7; modern languages, 9; Latin, 12; 
Greek, 12; science, 14; history and political science, 8; philosophy, 7; 
bookkeeping, 1. For 1874 Greek, French, and German were made 
optional — presumably the student must choose among them — and 
bookkeeping was dropped from junior, but added for a year to 
freshman 1876-77. Five years later Greek was again required and so 
remained until 1883, when it was made optional with modern 
languages or science. During this time history disappeared except 
for one term of the history of civilization, and one of general history, 
while English made some gains. The course was now distinctly a 
Latin, Greek, English, and mathematics course through the junior 
year. Except for two terms of "natural philosophy," the senior year 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 197 

was devoted to philosophy and poHtical science. The amount now 
required for graduation appears to have been eighty-one periods of 
forty minutes. Slight changes were made from year to year, but none 
of marked consequence for some time. 

In starting out with this course to the exclusion of all others the 
board declared that their effort had been not so much to mature a 
permanent plan of instruction in the university as to provide courses 
according to present needs. Another reason was the lack of funds, 
the so-called "agricultural scrip" not being available. In 1873 the 
executive committee of the board recommended the organization of 
four colleges or schools, agriculture, engineering, natural science, and 
general science and literature. The recommendation was followed, 
except as to the third, and the last was still called the classical school. 
In 1877 the friends of technical education secured an order from the 
board requiring all beneficiaries to take a course in agriculture and 
mechanics, "with permission to select such other studies as circum- 
stances will allow." 

The immediate effect of this order does not seem to have been 
very injurious to the arts department, as it furnished all the graduates 
for the next two years. But perhaps it was not without its influence 
in broadening the department. The following year a B. S. degree was 
mentioned and in 1879 a separate scientific course was provided leading 
to this degree. This course was substantially equal to the B. A. in 
the amount of work required, both for admission and graduation, 
Latin and Greek being replaced in the admission requirements by 
French and German and in the college by science. 

The B. S. degree enjoyed an unbroken career until 1908, when it 
was abolished. While the degree remained, the courses on which it 
was based varied, as the sequel will show. The degree of B. L. was 
first conferred upon three graduates in the class of 1876, but is 
first mentioned in the catalogue of 1878-79, where the statement was 
made that it would be conferred on students who completed the normal 
course. This took the place of the B. A. for normals, which had been 
promised to them the year before. In another year it was taken from 
the normals and promised to students completing the newly invented 
modern language course, which was practically identical with the 



198 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

classical course except in the substitution of French and German for 
Latin and Greek. Latin students in this course were allowed to choose 
between Latin and French, but in 1887 the degree was confined to 
those who took the "Young Ladies' Course." This course is described 
as "a necessity, since the Barker bill still admits ladies as beneficiaries, 
yet does not require any work of them. At the same time thev could 
not take the specific text-book work required in the first seven 
courses." Young' ladies not paying tuition took science and received 
the B. S. Those preferring- to take French and German or Latin 
could do so upon the payment of tuition and the}' received the B. L. 
The following 3^ear the "Young Ladies' Course" disappeared and 
along wath it went the B. L. degree. 

The early eighties were ^ery productive of degrees, three new ones 
being invented for the arts and two for the engineering students. In 
1881 the B. Lat. Let. and B. English appeared and the next year were 
joined by the B. Ph. The first two, which are sufficientlv described 
in their titles, survived until 1885, when the}' disappeared forever. It 
is hard to discover on what the B. Ph. was based other than the 
resolution of the board, "That on the recommendation of five 
professors, with whom he has completed the specified work, or its 
equivalent in the same course, a student shall be entitled to the degree 
of Bachelor of Philosophy, and to the signature of the president and 
secretar}' of the faculty." Perhaps this diploma was not considered 
equal to the others, which the board declared "proper for all the 
faculty to sign." Nothing more was heard of it until 1899 when it was 
given as one of the three arts courses and was based on a course 
requiring Latin. It was made equal to the B. A. and B. S. in the 
number of hours required for admission and for graduation. In 1903 
it was again dropped. 

This fluorescence of degrees was explained bv Professor Conrad 
as largely due to his system of instruction and his rigid grading. The 
first year of his incumbency in the chair of physics a senior failed, 
apparently an unusual thing. The president asked the professor 
several times what he proposed to do about it, adding, "He is a 
Republican and I will get all the blame for it." "For the benefit of 
the weaker brothers," says Professor Conrad, "and to save the self- 
respect of some of us, the tradition of a second degree — a B. L. — was 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 199 



revived. And all the seniors who were not fit for the A. B. were 
given the B. I.." To anticipate such cases in the future he got the 
faculty to recommend the addition of several other degrees from 
which the more difificult scientific work was excluded. At the same 
time he lowered his passing mark to 70 for the B. A. — in other depart- 
ments it was 7S — and to 50 in others, this representing less work in 
amount, not inferior in (|ualit3^ 

In 1881 a number of students presented a petition to the board 
against the high standards now required for graduation, aiming 
especiall}' at Professor Conrad. As a counter move the alumni 
association, of whom Judge John N. Tillman was then president, on 
motion of Professor G. W. Droke, who was then teaching in the 
preparatory department, passed strong resolutions uncjualifiedly 
endorsing the efforts of the facult}' to maintain a high standard. The 
resolutions were printed by the board and this action was understood 
as an endorsement of the effort to raise the standard, but the following 
year two young men, whom the faculty refused to recommend for 
degrees, were, upon the recommendation of the president, allowed to 
graduate. The board also, at the instance of the visiting committee, 
called upon Professor Conrad to abandon instruction by lectures and 
to decrease the amount of work required, with which resolution he 
complied. 

While sustaining the president in his recommendation of the two 
young men for degrees, the board do not seem to have approved his 
action. They resolved that hereafter any applicant for a degree 
failing to secure the endorsement of all the professors instructing 
him should be entitled only to a certificate from the endorsing 
professors. A full list of all candidates for degrees should be presented 
to the board together with the official approval of the faculty, and the 
diplomas were to be signed by the faculty. 

Having brought down the standard of requirements in college 
an assault was next made on the admission requirements, the details 
of which have already been given. However, the faculty seem to 
have made an honest effort to maintain the standard of the B. A. 
course, concerning which this statement was made : 

The classical course is intended to meet the wants of those who, while strong 
and steady enough to do the practical work required, have the energy and will-power 



200 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

to do the mental work of a B. A. course, and obtain that degree as a basis for 
professional life, or for mental training; of those who have state pride enough not 
to want to go outside of the State to obtain that training which the State ought to, 
can, and does afford its sons. The very best material of the State, thus dissociated 
from all its interests and belongings during the whole period of training, is either 
permanently lost to th-e State, or comes back to work at an immense disadvantage 
for want of knowledge of those of whom under other circumstances there would 
have existed the truest of all knowledge, the intimate association of school life. 
We call upon the patriotism of the State to stop this annual emigration, and 
are glad to be able, on our part, to offer a B. A. course equal to that of any other 
institution. 

In 1891 (for 1892) two courses were provided in the school of arts 
leading- to the B. A. In one course the requirements for the first two 
years were Latin, 8 hours; Greek, 8; mathematics, 5; history, 4; 
English, 3; and chemistry and English, 3. For junior and senior, Latin 
or Greek, 8; English, 4; logic and political economy, 3; physics, 4; 
psychology, 3 ; electives, 8. In the other course Latin was required 
through junior, and modern languages took the place of Greek. In 
each 61 hours were required for graduation. 

The School of Science was separated from the School of Arts and 
offered five courses leading to the degree of B. S. based respectively 
on chemistry, botany, zoology, horticulture, and entomology. Very 
little language was required in any of the courses, the work being 
based almost entirely on science and mathematics. 

The changes made in 1891 marked the beginning of a revolution 
in the arts department which proceeded by easy stages for a decade 
or more. A year later the work leading to the B. A. degree was 
broadened into four courses, one based on mathematics, one on modern 
languages, one on ancient languages, and one on history. The college 
of science was also enlarged by the addition of a course based on 
geology. 

The faculty and board must have looked upon this work and 
pronounced it good, for it remained practically unchanged for five 
years, an unusual thing in the history of the university. Then (1897) 
an attempt was made to improve it by adding three more courses 
leading to the B. A. based respectively on chemistry, zoology or 
entomologv. and geologv, now making seven in all. Latin was 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 201 

required in all courses through freshman. The substitution of a 
modern language for Latin in the last three led to the B. S. 

The increase in the number of courses was also coincident with 
greater freedom of election within any particular course. The 
constants in the course in ancient languages were Latin, Greek, 
English and mathematics, and in addition French or German, and a 
natural science and a physical science. After meeting these require- 
ments the student still had sixteen hours for free electives. In all 
the other courses there was still greater freedom of election. Another 
noteworthy feature was the inequalities in the requirements for 
graduation. For the ancient language course one must complete sixty 
hours of sixty minutes amd in this respect the courses based on 
chemistry, mathematics, and geology were considered its equal, but 
the student electing the course based on zoology or entomology must 
present sixty-one hours, on modern languages sixty-two, and on 
history sixty-four. This was not caused by any dififerences in the 
requirements for admission. These inequalities were removed the 
following year (1898), when a course based on economics was added 
to the list, and all were based on sixty hours. At the same time seven 
dififerent courses were provided leading to the B. S. degree, based 
res])ectively on mathematics, economics, chemistry, zoology, geology, 
agriculture, and horticulture. These also were all based on sixty 
hours. 

This marks the extreme swing of the pendulum. In 1899, instead 
of fifteen courses leading to two degrees, we find three courses leading 
to three degrees, the B. A., B. Ph., and B. S., all requiring sixty-four 
hours. Latin was required through sophomore for the first two and 
Greek for the B. A. and Latin or Greek through the junior year. In 
the B. A. course all the freshman work was prescribed, limited election 
was allowed in sophomore, and free election of nine hours each in 
junior and senior. The other two courses were characterized by a 
little more freedom. The science course required eighteen hours of 
science, fifteen of language, six of mathematics, five of history or 
economics, and three of philosophy. The same year the statement 
is made in the matter devoted to the department of agriculture that 
"agriculture is both a science and an art," consequently two courses 
are provided leading to the degrees of B. S. A. and B. S. The latter 



202 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

was identical with the same course in the arts department except that 
agricultural studies were prescribed in place of limited or free 
electives. 

The next revolution broke out in 1903, when the B. Ph. course 
was dropped and an advance was made on the elective system over 
anything previously offered. Two degrees, B. A. and B. S., were 
offered, each requiring sixty periods for completion. The constants 
in freshman for both courses were three hours of English and three 
of mathematics, and three of some foreign language. In sophomore 
the student was required to present three hours of English, three of 
the foreign language studied in freshman, and three of some other 
study pursued that year. This left him six hours of electives in 
freshman and sophomore each; all the work in junior and senior was 
elective. 

The studies offered were divided into four groups : 

I. English, Latin, Greek, French, German, Spanish, Italian. 
II. Mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, physics, geology, 
biology. 

III. History, philosophy, political science, economics, sociology, 

pedagogy. 

IV. Mechanical, civil, and electrical engineering, horticulture, 

agriculture. 
As perfected by the faculty, freshmen and sophomores in both the 
B. A. and B. S. were required to elect at least three hours from II and 
III, but by a resolution of the board this requirement included only 
candidates for the B. A. By the beginning of his junior year every 
student was required to elect a major subject, though the number of 
hours he must present in this were not stated. Of the sixty hours 
required for graduation, twenty-four were subject to the approval 
of the professor in charge of his major subject. He could not take 
more than eighteen in any subject, nor more than thirty-six in any 
group. Candidates for the B. A. were limited to groups I, II and HI 
in the choice of major subjects and must offer not fewer than nine 
hours from each nor more than nine from IV. Candidates for the 
B. S. were limited to II and IV in the choice of majors and must 
offer at least eighteen hours from one or both. 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 203 



A highly speciaHzed course in science leading to the degree of 
B. S. in Chem. was introduced in 1904 and another in 1908 leading 
to the B. S. in Physics. All the work is prescribed in both cases. 

Military science and tactics were required of all male students. 
In case excused from this for any cause, they must offer one hour in 
addition to the above. Female students might offer this extra hour 
in any subject, including in addition to those mentioned in the group, 
music, art, elocution, and physical culture. 

This scheme remained in force until 1908, when the B. S. degree 
was dropped entirely. Mathematics was no longer required of 
candidates for the B. S., but the restrictions hitherto imposed on 
electives were retained, the statement was made that the equivalent 
of two years' work must be offered for admission in the foreign 
language pursued in freshman, and the requirements for graduation 
were raised to sixty-four periods. 

Graduate Work. 

There is no graduate school in the University of Arkansas and 
never has been, though a number of students have pursued work after 
graduation and have received advanced degrees. 

The first mention of any graduate work occurs in the regulatitMis 
adopted in 1877, when the board provided that graduates wishing 
to remain for further study might do so without the payment of 
tuition, but no such student was catalogued until 1878-79, and he 
was a resident of Fayetteville. After this there were none until 
1883-84, when another local student was enrolled. The enrollment 
was the same for 1884-8.S and none for 1885-86. 

Down to this time no course of study had been prescribed for 
graduate students nor any regulations published concerning advanced 
degrees. The master's degree had already been conferred a number 
of times, in scA-eral instances honoris causa. In 1886 the facult}^ 
"following the example of all first-class universities," outlined a plan 
for graduate work leading to the degrees M. A. and Ph. D. and 
recommended that hereafter these degrees be not conferred as 
honorary. Applicants for the master's degree must have previousl}^ 
taken the bachelors, "and in addition must take, at the universitv, for 



204 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

a full scholastic year, four daih' studies appointed by the faculty." 
The minimum requirement for the Ph. D. was two years of study, the 
last of which must be at the university, a printed thesis of at least 
2,000 words (later 5,000), and a satisfactory examination, and ability 
to read French and German. Examination and diploma fees were 
charged, but no tuition until 1894. In the technical school it was 
announced that the M. £. and C. E. would "be given after three years 
to those graduates in mechanical or civil engineering courses who, 
by successful practice, prove themselves worthy." Later a thesis was 
required or one year's residence work of fifteen hours and a thesis. 

The Ph. D. continued to be offered until 1898, when it was quietly 
dropped by the faculty. During this time two degrees were granted, 
one being conferred upon Professor F. L. Harvey in 1890 in view of 
his original work done in the university. He had been a member of 
the faculty (1875-1885), serving as professor of theoretical and 
applied chemistry. In 1893 Professor Fred W. Simonds, who had 
resigned the chair of biology and geology in 1890, was given the 
D. Sc. "in recognition of ability and attainments." 

The amount of work required for master's degrees was reduced to 
sixteen hours in 1891. In 1894 the residence requirement was 
abolished for graduates of this university, but after 1898 they were 
required to spend at least half the year in residence and after 1899 
the full year. At the same time the system of major and minor 
subjects was introduced and a thesis was required, the thesis to be 
equivalent to a two-hour course. It must be approved by a committee 
of three composed of the professor in charge of the candidate's major 
subject and two others appointed by the president. 

The ambitious period of the graduate school was in the early 
nineties. It was announced that candidates for the Ph. D. might 
pursue their studies in any one of three groups, consisting of Latin, 
Greek, German, French, and English for one, chemistry, physics, 
geology, and biology, for the second, and philosophy and pure and 
applied mathematics for the third. In their zeal for this work one or 
two professors actually outlined more graduate than undergraduate 
courses, but others announced none. 

In 1894 the faculty petitioned the board to establish five teaching 
fellowships at a salary of $200 each. In support of this they recited 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 205 

the fact that eleven ijraduate students were in attendance the past 
year, and that an increased attendance was expected the following 
vear. The board responded by establishing three, but the system was 
soon abandoned. The following two years marked the heyday of the 
school, fourteen students being enrolled 1895-96 and eighteen in 
1896-97. The following year only three were in attendance. Since 
then the enrollment has varied from one in 1899-1900 to six in 1908-09. 
No emphasis whatever is now placed on this work and no courses are 
offered for it in the annual catalogue. Such students as come either 
take advanced undergraduate work or make arrangements for special 
courses. 

NoRM.xL Courses. 

For years the official designation of the university was the 
"Arkansas Industrial University with Normal Department Therein." 

The committee of the board appointed in 1871 to visit the Normal 
College at Normal, Illinois, contented themselves with a brief 
statement of conditions in that institution, making no recommenda- 
tions. The board then decided to leave the determination of the 
course of studv in the normal to its faculty, under the general 
instruction to make it about equal to that of the best normal colleges 
of the country'. 

Acting President Gates was the first principal of the normal 
department. In 1872 a circular, prepared by him, or under his 
direction, announced two courses of study, separate and distinct from 
the university course, which were "designed to furnish a thorough 
course of instruction to all those who desire to engage in the profession 
of teaching in the public schools." One course extended over three 
years, the other over two, the latter being provided for such students 
as did not have the time and means for the longer course. Both 
courses were based on the common school branches, beginning with 
arithmetic, geography, reading, spelling, and writing, and included 
some theoretical work and practical work in teaching. The longer 
course included Latin, German, or French (two terms), trigonometry 
and surveying, English literature, geology, zoology, astronomy, 
general history, mental and moral science, and bookkeeping. A 
trainino- school was established also where the normal students were 



206 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

required "to put into practice the theories taught them, under the 
direct supervision of a training instructor." Apparently this school 
was left entirely in the hands of students and was called the primary 
department. In 1874 it was announced that the primary department 
as heretofore conducted had been abolished. In its stead a training 
school, in charge of a preceptress, would be maintained in conjunction 
with the normal, where the teaching would be done under the 
immediate supervision of the principal and the preceptress. 

No further change was made until 1875, when the two-year course 
was dropped. The following year a four-year course was introduced, 
preceded b}' a one-year "preparatory normal." Besides the grammar 
school studies the preparatory year embraced algebra and Latin. The 
chief difference between the four-year normal course and the classical 
course consisted in the fact that no Greek was ofi'ered, algebra, French 
and German were optional, and some work was required in methods, 
practice in teaching, and the relation of the school to the State, 
amounting in all to six terms. Two years later no outline of the 
normal course was given, the simple statement being made that it was 
identical with the classical course except that normal students had 
a course of lectures on the methods of teaching and were required 
to teach elementary classes in the institution. Students completing 
this course were to receive the B. A. The training school appears 
to have been abolished after 1875-76, when the instructress was 
dropped from the facutly. 

In 1879 a five-year course was introduced, leading to the degree 
of Bachelor of Letters. The first year's work was preparatory. The 
rest of the course paralleled the classical course pretty closely, except 
in the substitution of science and the purely normal subjects for Greek. 
The following year the course was rearranged, but the chief difference 
lay in the fact that it was reduced to four years by cutting off the 
senior year. No degree was to be conferred, a normal diploma being 
substituted. In 1885 the first three years of the course included 
industrial art. The completion of the first two years' work entitled 
the student to a "Certificate of Proficiency in the branches taught in 
the district schools ;" of the four years, to the distinction of Graduate 
in Normal Department; and of a graduate course of two years 
in certain specified subjects to the degree of B. A., but the following 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 207 

year this was changed to the T.. T.. At tlie same time (ISSG) a 
t\\i)-ycar lun-mal course was iirmidcd in the hii^^h school department, 
whicli was chlTcrcntiatcd from the re^uhir hi^h scliool course h\- the 
inclusion of one xear's wiirk in methods o\ teaching and one in 
peda^d^N'. 'Phis lasted one year. 

The next chan-^e was to make l.alin. plnsical i;eoi;raph\', ])h^■sics, 
hotanw general liistory. ethics, and bookkceiMnt;- elective (1SS7). C)n 
the com])letion n\ the four gears' course the student was now j^iven 
the dei^ree of Licentiate of Instruction and was (pialitied to enter the 
junior class (*f either the classical, general science, or vouni;- ladies' 
C(nn"se. The two-year course soon reappears (IS^'H, made so by 
dropping; the preparatory ^vork. It was said to include all branches 
required by law for state teachers. It consisted of: Peda,i;(\i^\-, 2; 
ph}-sics. 4; mathematics. ,^ ; I'hii^lish. .^ ; and Latin, 4 in freshman ; and 
general chemistry, i; civil gtn-ernment, 1 ; general histor}-, 4; science 
of education, lyj; Latin, 4: sc1uh>1 management, 1' .; histor\- of 
education, 1: and sclu^ol law, 1 in so])homore, and led to the L. 1. 
In 1^)01 the amount of pedagogy recfuired was increased to li\e hours 
in freslunan and sophomore each. 

'Jdie general reorganization of courses matle in LK)_' brought few 
changes of ciMisecjuence to the normal. Once more the i-ourse 
rea])pears as a four-}ear course, but the lirst two }ears were nothing 
but preparatory work and were done in the ])reparatory tlepartment. 
The amount of pedagx)gy gi\-en in the other two years was reduced 
to eight hours. Any candidate iov the W. A. or B. S. ctuild lake the 
L. L in passing, by electing- his major in the department o{ ])hiloso])hy 
and pedagogy, or by taking at least eight hours' work in the depart- 
ment, ha\ing thirty hours to his credit in all. 

Since 1907 twi^ ditl'erent courses have been offered, one with Latin 
and the i^ther with science. Until 1^09 they were four-year courses, 
the lirst two being preparatt)ry, but in that year the\' were reduced to 
three, the last two years being treated as of collegiate grade. Students 
completing the course receive the L. 1. and may ha\e their work, 
exce])t that in singing and drawing, credited on the !">. A. Regular 
candidates for the 15. A. who wish to take the L. 1. must offer at 
least eleven hours in the tlepartment of ]4iilosophv and l>edagogv. 



208 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



The training- school, dropped in 1876, was revived in 1903. It is 
now called the model school, is taught by normal students under the 
direct supervision of training teachers and is regarded as one of the 
best parts of the normal department. 

Conservatory of Music and Art. 

When the university was first organized the name of W. D. C. 
Botefuhr appeared on the faculty page as professor of music, but 
he seems to have had no official connection with the institution until 
July, 1873, when the board granted him a doceiir of $200 for extra 
services, and unanimously elected him to the department of music 
just created by resolution. He received a small salary from the board 
and the fees charg-ed to music students. Professor Botefuhr served 
until 1881. At the commencement of 1880 the board of visitors had 
recommended that the department be dropped temporarily. If it 
should be found essential for the female students to be taught music, 
an instructor could be supplied later. 

After 1881 the music department seems to have suffered a decline 
for a time. Some difficulty was experienced in securing' suitable 
teachers. Finally, 1883, Miss Kate V. King, of Covington, Kentucky, 
was employed and remained with the university until 1889, when she 
resigned. In the early part of her stay she seems to have built up the 
department somewhat. By 1886 the instructor was the best paid 
teacher in the institution, but almost independent of control. Her 
pupils were also free of the regulations imposed on others. President 
Edgar recommended that the department be put on the same basis 
as the others, except in the matter of tuition, the teacher being paid 
a salary and the students being subjected to the same regulations 
as other students. The committee of the board to whom this was 
referred recommended non-concurrence with a part of the recom- 
mendation, holding that as Miss King had labored to build up the 
department she should not be deprived of the fees. However, the 
board, declaring that it was the intent of Congress to make tuition as 
nearly free as possible in all departments, ordered a reduction of 33y3 
per cent, in the tuition charges for music. Two years later at the 
June meeting fees were ordered paid into the universit}^ funds and 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 209 

the teacher of music was put on a regular salary of $1,500, but in 
Auc^ust this action was rescinded and the teacher was to get all 
the fees. 

This seems to have marked the practical severance of official 
connection with the university for several years, though teachers of 
music were still catalogued. Tn December, 1894, the board resolved to 
establish a department of music, paying the director thereof a small 
salary and the fees, the department to be under the supervision and 
control of the president and facult}'. The following year two instruc- 
tors, both females, were employed. There were few music pupils, and 
the small salaries were found vmfavorable to the full development of 
ihe department. In consequence the president recommended that it be 
abolished, if means could not be found to make it more efficient. 

Nothing in particular seems to have been done until 1903, when, 
on recommendation of President Hartzog, it was ordered that the 
department be raised to the dignity of a school under the title, 
"Conservatory of Music and Arts," that a suitable curriculum be 
l^ireparcd and that diplomas or certificates be granted. It was also 
suggested that the director of the school be made a member of the 
faculty, if consistent. At the same session Paul Schmolck was elected 
director. A\'ith him were associated three other music teachers and 
two others for the work in elocution and physical culture and art. 
In 1904 yir. Schmolck was succeeded b}^ Miss Hazel Archer Abates, 
who in 1906 was made a member of the faculty as representing- the 
Conservatory of JMusic and Art. Upon her resignation in 1908 Mr. 
Plenry Doug-hty Tovey became director of the conservatory. 

The art department makes its debut in 1874 with Mrs. V. L. Gray 
as instructor. Apparently her work was voluntary and her pay 
dependent upon tuition fees. In 1877 she presented the board with 
a painting of the university building and grounds which they in 
turn presented to the executive office at Little Rock. In 1881 she 
was succeeded by Miss Nettie G. Bedinger and a year later the board 
provided her department with the necessary casts. At the end of 
another year she was granted a small salary and a vote in the faculty. 
The executive committee said that her request for an increase of 
salary should be granted or the department abolished. They recom- 



210 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

mended the former but the board followed the latter suggestion 
(1884). Still there were "art" students. 

In dropping" this department the board evidently intended to 
emphasize a different kind of art. In 1885 they asked the legislature 
for a considerable appropriation to provide "instruction in manual 
exercise suited to botji sexes." They failed to secure this, but 
appropriated certain funds to make a beginning. The first year 
instruction in free-hand drawing was furnished to all students except 
seniors as preliminary to building up a strong industrial arts 
department. Young ladies were taught needle work, designing, 
embroidering, brass work and wood work. Instruction was also 
furnished in the "fine arts" for tuition. 

This explains the sudden leap in "art" students from about 15 in 
1885 to 280 in 1887. As a matter of fact the number in "art" proper 
had fallen oft" to about 5. The enthusiasm of the board not being 
shared by the legislature the industrial arts department was quietly 
dropped in 1889. Art continued to be taught at the university in some 
fashion until 1897 when the department was again recognized as a 
part of the university and put in charge of Miss Jenny Delony Rice. 

In 1901 the indift"erence of the legislature was given as the reason 
for abolishing this kind of art instruction also, and the room was 
turned over to the engineering department with instructions to take 
charge of and care for the materials. However, the public had not lost 
the taste for art and there were so many applications for instruction 
that a teacher was employed and paid out of the fees. In 1903 art 
formed a part of the newly created conservatory of music and art, 
the subject being taught by Miss Ammee Leverett. The present 
incumbent. Miss Elizabeth Galbraith, took charge of the work in 1906. 

When the faculty was first organized it seems to have been 
expected that the commandant, Henry L. Burnell, would furnish the 
instruction in elocution, but this work was soon transferred to the 
English teacher. In 1882-83 it was taught by Miss S. E. Harris under 
protest. It never rose to the dignity of a separate teacher until 1891, 
when Miss Jessie L. Cravens took charge, a position which she 
retained until 1898. 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 211 

In 1899 the department was reorganized and the subject of physical 
culture was added with Miss Jennie W. Bownam in charge. In 1908 
the work was separated, Mrs. W. V. Crockett being put in charge 
of the department of expression and Mrs. Martha H. White that of 
physical culture. 

DEPARTMENTS OF INSTRUCTION. 

Ancient Languages. 

As indicated elsewhere one problem over which the founders of the 
university wrestled was the extent of the latitude allowed them in 
the land grant act by the phrase, "without excluding other scientific 
and classical studies." They not only decided that this meant that 
the classics should not be excluded from the course, but in practice 
gave them a prominent place. On the faculty page the "professor 
of ancient languages and literature" stood next after the president. 
The chair was first filled by C. H. Leverett, who served until 1885, 
when he was put out for a season in consequence of the order of the 
legislature for a clean faculty slate. In 1876 French was added to the 
department and from 1877 to 1881 the professor of ancient languages 
was expected to teach ''modern languages, with English literature and 
history." From 1881 to 1885 the department was simply that of 
ancient languages. 

When the faculty was reorganized in 1885 R. H. Willis, Jr., was 
elected professor of ancient languages and ancient history and served 
in this capacity until 1887. That year, in determining the distribution 
of duties the board added ancient languages to mental philosophy and 
assigned them to the president, the presidency being vacant at the 
time. Professor Willis was retained as adjunct professor of ancient 
languages. When Professor Murfee became president (1888) ancient 
languages were taken away from his department and Professor 
Leverett suceeded Professor Willis as adjunct professor. He was 
assisted by an instructor in Greek for one year. After this there was 
no change until 1894, except that Professor Leverett was made a full 
professor in 1891. 

In 1884 the board requested the faculty to arrange the scheme of 
class work so as to give more time to the department of ancient 




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ho 
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THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 213 

lan^uas^es, Ijccause the professor had not had time to drill thorous^hly. 
After 1887 it ajjpears that instead of 1)eini^ t^iven nif^re time the 
ancient ian^ua^es were l)einj^ assi.^ned a sul)or(linate i)lace. This 
period is coincident with the time when strenuous efforts were beinj; 
made to build u]) the atiricultural and mechanical dei)artments and 
a part of this time l)eneficiaries takin^' the ancient languages were 
required to pay tuition. 

Tn 1894 (January) ihe dejiartment of ancient lan,L;ua,t4es was divided 
and John C. iMilrall was elected professor of Latin and Professor 
Leverett was retained in the (K"])artnKMit of (ireek. At the same time 
it was ordered that these j)r<jfessors should teach such other branches 
as might be determined by the faculty. .\s iVofessor h'utrall did not 
begin work until July, Professor Leverett took char"e of the Latin, 
being assisted b\' some of the other teachers. /\t the end of this 
year the two chairs Avere again coml)incd (January, 1895) and 
Professor Futrall was ])ut in charge of the dei)artment of ancient 
languages. This ixisition he has retainerl ever since, except that he 
was absent on lca\c in 18*J';-1900, when liis place was filled by 
Professor Walter A. Montgomery. The department was strengthened 
in 1896 by the creation of ;in associate professorshij), which was filled 
by E. F. Shannon. This was abolished in 1902 on acc(junt of lack of 
funds, but revived in ]')07 as an adjunct professorship and filled by 
the election oi John J. James. During this interim some assistance 
was furnished from (jther departments. Previous to 1908 the adjunct 
professor taught some classes in the preparatory de])artment. 

As the ancient authors are a practically fixed f|uantity it is 
unnecessary to say nuicli concerning the courses offered more than 
that they have covered a wide range of authors and subjects whenever 
the teaching force would justify it. The freshman work has never 
been far advanced, though the present head of the department has 
been moving forward as rajiidly as conditions will permit. Previous 
to the adoption of the elective system few preparatory schools in the 
State taught anything beyond Caesar. Indeed, not until 1894 was all 
of Caesar finally |)ushed below freshman. .Since then Cicero and Vergil 
have been taught in freshman, sometimes along with Nepos or Sallust. 
After the adoption of the elective system a higher course was open 



214 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

to freshmen who presented four units in Latin, but the old freshman 
work in Cicero and Vergil was retained for those presenting less work. 

Latin prosody is taught in connection with the poets and prose 
composition in connection with the prose writers. One hour's work 
in the latter is required in the lowest class and two additional hours 
may be elected in the higher classes. Of necessity the courses that 
can be offered are limited in extent — sixteen hours are offered — and 
these are conducted along general rather than special lines. It is the 
policy of the department to introduce the student, after he has acquired 
the necessary reading knowledge, to the literature and life of the 
people rather than confine him to the dead forms of language. 

At first Greek was begun in freshman, but in 1880 two books of 
Xenophon were required for admission. The order of the board made 
in 1884 that Greek be begun in freshman wrought no change in the 
catalogue announcements until 1887, when it was obeyed. Necessarily 
the beginner's course was continued after the adoption of the elective 
system for the benefit of those who wished to take Greek, but did not 
present any for admission. The courses now offered amount to 
seventeen hours. 

Back in the early nineties, the time of university ambitions, 
extensive graduate courses in Latin and Greek were outlined in the 
catalogue, including the life and complete works of about all the 
most prominent writers, one or two of which might be taken in any 
one year. These elaborate statements were soon dropped, but a few 
graduate classes were organized. Now, students who desire to 
specialize in Greek and I^atin are encouraged to continue their work, 
after graduating here, in schools which can ofifer better facilities for 
advanced work. Several of the graduates of the department have 
taken high rank in the leading American and foreign universities. 

AVhen Professor Futrall took charge of the department in 1894 it 
had nothing in the way of equipment save a few reference books in 
the general library. In 1897 a beginning was made with $100 
appropriated by the board. A small biennial appropriation is made 
by the legislature for the maintenance of the depanment and with 
this the equipment is gradually being strengthened. The department 
now has a good working library of about 500 volumes in which may be 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 215 

found the complete works of most of the ancient writers, books 
relating to classical literature, and critical editions of the works of the 
authors of the classic period. The set of Teubuer texts is complete. 
The best American and foreign classical periodicals are received 
regularly, and of some there are complete files. 

English. 

The first outline of courses presented a few subjects in English 
but they were not deemed of sufficient importance to be put in charge 
of a regular professor until 1873, when James Mitchell became 
professor of history and English. This arrangement was continued 
until 1876-77, when both subjects were attached to the department 
of ancient and modern languages, though two teachers were provided 
to take care of the work. In 1881 they were again divorced and Miss 
Sallie E. Harris was put in charge of English and history with the 
rank of professor. She served until 1884, when Howard Edwards 
took charge as professor of English, French, German, and modern 
history. Two years later history was put first, "modern" being 
dropped. During Professor Edwards' term (1884-1890) there were 
as many as two additional instructors in English, though it is not 
certain that they taught college classes. On the resignation of 
Professor Edwards, Lieutenant E. L. Eletcher was elected and served 
one year. At the end of his term history w^as detached and R. H. 
Willis was elected professor of English and modern languages, and 
Miss Ella Carnall as adjunct. By 1894 there were four instructors 
in the department, one man, Dr. Willis, ranking as professor, two 
women. Miss Ida Pace (Mrs. A. H. Purdue) and Miss Hadgie Davies, 
as associates and one woman, Miss Julia Vaulx, as instructor. 
Professor W^illis served until 1898, when he was succeeded by Ernest 
T. Bynum, who served two years and was succeeded by his former 
associate, W. S. Read, who also served two years. With the last 
named was associated Colbert Searles and Miss Hadgie Davies with 
the rank of associate and Misses Clara Earle and Allie Deupree with 
the rank of instructors. In 1902 Professor Read was succeeded by 
Professor J. W. Carr, who had served one year as associate, and was 
assisted by Associate Professor E. F. Shannon and Adjunct Professor 



216 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Davies. These three carried the department until 1905, when Miss 
Davies was replaced by A. Marinoni, and Mrs. E. M. Blake and 
A. L. Harvey were added as instructors. 

The alliance of English and modern languages was finally broken 
in 1906 and Professor Shannon was elected to the chair of English, 
which he still holds, though now absent on leave. At the time of the 
separation he was given two assistants and this number has been 
increased to four. C. C. Alexander served one year (1907-08) as 
adjunct, and was succeeded by Associate Professor G. G. Greever. 
Miss Jobelle Holcombe became instructor in 1907 and Miss Pearl 
Etheridge was added in 1909. During the absence of Professor 
Shannon his place is being filled by O. D. Wannamaker. 

The only English courses mentioned in the outline of courses for 
the first few years were English diction, rhetoric, English literature, 
modern philology, and elements of criticism. The first and third 
were studied two terms, the others one term each, making an 
equivalent of two and one-third full-year courses. In 1883, when 
English first appears in the "Departments of Instruction," and at a 
time when nine different courses of study were offered the student, 
fifteen terms of English, equivalent to five full-year courses, were 
required of the candidates for the so-called English degree, though 
it is not clear that they took any more work in English than other 
students, who took two years, except in "Early English" and in the 
"Science of Language." 

By 1886 we are on sure ground. Eour courses were then offered, 
one for each year and each extending throughout the year. This was 
soon reduced to three years and so remained until 1891, when seven 
courses were offered. These courses reveal a curious sense of 
proportion, arising, perhaps, from university aspirations. Two of the 
seven courses were for undergraduates, one for seniors and graduates 
and three for graduates. However, the last three were given "at the 
convenience of the professor." In 1895 the undergraduate courses 
were increased to six in number and the following year the graduate 
courses were dropped. An urgent appeal was then made by Professor 
Willis to have the department divided into two. In support of this 
appeal he submitted the fact that in the last nine years the hours of 
instruction given to undergraduates in different subjects had increased 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 217 

in chemistry from 10 to 31, in biology from 10 to 37, in geology from 
5 to 14, in mathematics from 15 to 27, and in mechanic arts and 
engineering from 24 to 8, while there had been no increase in 
French and German and an actual decrease in English from 15 to 13. 
This was due to the smallness of the teaching force compared with the 
number of students. While this department had only two instructors 
for 443 students, the next largest, chemistry and physics, had the 
same for 199 students, and the department of mechanic arts and 
engineering had three instructors for 84 students. Several classes in 
English had to be divided into sections. Ten years later, when the 
teaching force had been increased to five, some more work was 
scheduled, but it was announced that some of this would be 
discontinued, unless more teachers were provided. The division 
already mentioned then took place. The English department is now 
able to offer nine two-hour courses and four three-hour courses, 
making a total of thirty hours in different subjects. 

Of the first courses offered about all we know of the "elements of 
criticism" is that it was required of seniors for one term, that it was 
taught by Professor Gates in 1878-79 and that it disappeared in 1881. 
Our fund of information concerning English diction is not much 
greater. For a time it was associated with elocution, but Miss Harris 
finally secured their separation, after which she continued to teach 
the former to students, the majority of whom evinced an "utter lack 
of preparatory training," and she also lengthened the course. The 
term "elements of criticism" makes its last appearance in 1879-80, 
giving place to "English" in the new style of listing the subjects of 
study. 

For several years rhetoric was oft'ered to sophomores for only one 
term, but in 1880 it was lengthened to two, followed by one term in 
composition. In 1885 it was brought down to freshman and another 
course in the same subject was required of juniors. The texts in use 
at the time were Abbott's "How to Write Clearly;" A. S. Hill's 
"Rhetoric;" and D. J. Hill's "Science of Rhetoric." Next year 
bi-weekly exercises were introduced, based on a thorough reading of 
"Evangeline," "Last Days of Pompeii," "David Copperfield," "Idylls 
of the King," and Macaulay's Essays. Few changes of consequence 
were made until 1903, when this course (three hours) was declared 



218 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

an elementary course in composition, and associated with the study 
of American and English literature and class-room themes. At the 
same time a more advanced course in composition (Genung's 
Rhetoric) and the history of English literature (Moody and Lovett's), 
with fortnightly themes, was offered to sophomores. Both of these 
courses required considerable reading of the standard authors. For 
a time an effort was made to include composition (narration, descrip- 
tion, exposition, argumentation) and elementary Anglo-Saxon, but this 
was found to be too much for three hours, consequently another 
course (two hours) was offered to juniors in exposition and argu- 
mentation. These three courses, with certain modifications in text 
books and theme work, are still offered, together with a special course 
in composition offered since 1908 and described as "a practical course 
designed to meet the needs of students in engineering and agriculture." 
The development of the courses in literature has been more or 
less steady, though somewhat slow for a decade or more after the 
founding of the university. During about half of this time literature 
was given to juniors for only two terms, the rest of the time for three 
terms. It can hardly be supposed that a great deal was accomplished 
in that time when students were meeting five classes daily. The 
method of teaching was a "close study of separate authors, comparison 
of styles and modes of thought," etc., etc., confessedly a "continuation 
of the same system" as that employed in teaching rhetoric, instead of 
a vitalizing course in introducing to life rather than to form and 
fashion. Possibly this was partly due to limited library facilities, 
which were often complained of in early days. Manuals of literature, 
such as Shaw's or Arnold's, were used, supplemented by such works 
as were available in the library and sometimes students were required 
to possess certain authors. In 1884 Trustee Coffin secured the passage 
of a resolution requesting Miss Harris so to reconstruct her courses 
"that the time and effort of students may be devoted more to the 
study of text-books bearing upon the structure of the English 
language and not so much to a course of general reading in standard 
literature," but the following year an advance was made by offering- 
two courses, one for juniors and one for seniors, lowered the following 
year to sophomore and junior. The former was mainly a course in 
prose, the latter mainly in poetry, though there was a mixture in both 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 219 

and both attempted to cover the greater part of the history of English 
literature. The courses were soon put back in junior and senior and 
the latter made "philological in its bent.'' In 1891 American literature 
was included in the former and one hour out of four was devoted to 
Chaucer and Shakespeare. At the same time two graduate courses 
were offered, one in English and one in American literature. A year 
later the department was teaching "the English language in every 
stage of its development, from Beowulf, the first Anglo-Saxon poem, 
composed over 1,300 years ago, to the 'Arkansas Democrat,' of today."* 
From 1895 to 1898 the course in American literature and prose style 
became a sophomore study (two hours), then American literature was 
offered alone for two years, after which it disappeared to return in 
permanence in 1906. As now given it is devoted almost wholly to the 
poets. The course in English and American poets (two hours) began 
at the same time and ran until 1898 when the American poets were 
dropped and the English were divided into the classic and the romantic 
schools, each a half-year course of two hours, the former to alternate 
with Victorian literature, the latter with American literature. Begin- 
ning with 1900 a two-hour course in the English novel of the 
nineteenth century was offered for a few years, but it was soon 
merged into a more general course. 

Since 1903 the courses in literature have been given by centuries, 
beginning with the sixteenth and closing with the nineteenth. The 
first takes the publication of Tottel's Miscellany (1557) as the 
beginning of modern literature and closes with the predecessors of 
Shakespeare. The second is devoted to the drama, mainly to 
Shakespeare. The third follows the contest between classicism and 
romanticism to the triumph of the latter. The fourth deals with the 
poetry of the nineteenth century. The fifth covers the nineteenth 
century novel and essay. Besides these, a course in middle English, 
which began in 1895-96 as part of a course with Anglo-Saxon, is 
still offered. 

The drama as a separate course first appeared in 1880, when one 
term of senior was devoted to it. Since then it has occasionally been 
offered as a separate course, but most of the time in connection with 



* A tribute to Professor James Mitchell, first professor history and English literature, then 
editor of the "Arkansas Democrat." 



220 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Other literature. From 1888 to 1894 one term was devoted to Chaucer 
and Shakespeare together, then for a time the latter disappeared except 
as offered for one year to graduates. From 1900 to 1903 Shakespeare 
was given a whole course, part of the time in conjunction with 
"poetics." As already indicated, the drama is now studied as part 
of the literature of the century in which it manifested the greatest 
strength. 

Philology in some form appears to have enjoyed an almost 
unbroken career. For the first three years it was described as modern 
philology, but in some way it was metamorphosed into "Modern 
Philosophy" for the next three, and finally into "philology." The 
years 1896-97 mark its last announcement as a distinct course. Both 
before and since it has been associated with courses in Anglo-Saxon 
and middle English. 

Courses in early and middle English have appeared under varying 
names since 1886 when a senior course in Anglo-Saxon first appeared. 
For a short time an additional advanced course was offered, but only 
one is now given. 

The first mention of graduate work appears in 1891, when three 
graduate courses were announced, besides one in early English and 
philology for seniors and graduates. The distinctly graduate work 
consisted of courses in advanced Anglo-Saxon and philology, modern 
English literature, and American literature. The course in Anglo- 
Saxon reappeared in 1896, together with the complete works of 
Shakespeare, each a separate course. Some of these courses were 
called for by students, but how many were actually given the writer 
can not say. No graduate courses are catalogued now. 

The department is one of the best equipped in the matter of books, 
the library numbering 500 volumes. It is also one of the largest in 
the number of students, the enrollment for 1908-09 reaching 612. 
But freshman English is a required subject. 

Modern Languages. 

Hardly any department has had a more checkered career than 
that of the Germanic and Romanic languages. French and German 
are mentioned in the first outline of courses, but as there were no 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 221 



college students then they probably were not called for for several 
years. We know that some German was taught in 1874-75, for one 
term by Professor W. D. C. Botefiihr, the instructor in music. The 
first mention of these subjects on the faculty page occurs in 1876, 
when C. H. Leverett was professor of ancient language and French 
and K. Demmler was professor of civil and mechanical engineering 
and German. This arrangement seems to have continued until 1880, 
when H. B. Edmiston was elected professor of modern languages. He 
held this position until 1885, when the legislature ordered all the 
university chairs to be vacated. In the reorganization the modern 
languages were allied with English and history. The last named was 
detached in 1891. The story of the further attachment between 
English and modern languages is told elsewhere. 

Previous to the creation of the department of modern languages 
in 1880 it is only natural to suppose that little work was done in these 
subjects. It does not appear that more than one year's work was 
required in either, though a part of the time they were made optional 
with Greek. The creation of the modern language course naturally 
called for more work and a three years' course in German and French 
each was provided, but they do not seem to have been put on a par 
with other courses. Just before his department was abolished (1885) 
Professor Edmiston protested against the "protective legislation" 
which shielded Latin and Greek while modern languages were "shoved 
off into some obscure corner, like a poor relation at a feast," or 
omitted altogether. He had been allowed three hours a week for 
German and two for French. 

Naturally, there could be no expansion of courses while the 
languages were the step-children of the department of English and 
histor}^ and laboring under the disadvantage of a requirement for 
tuition even from beneficiaries. In 1887 the professor in charge 
actually recommended that they be omitted from the curriculum, if an 
assistant could not be provided. Even when under this disadvantage, 
two years' work in each was called for, though the classes were small. 

The year 1891 marks a liberal development in the modern language 
courses. In German and French each three courses were offered, 
making a total of twenty hours equally divided, besides a graduate 
course in each. At the same time two four-hour courses in Spanish 



222 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

were catalogued and one in Italian. It is not likely that all of these 
courses were taught that year. Soon the number was increased by 
oii'ering some in alternate years. 

Department of German. 

As already indicated this department first saw the light as a 
separate entity in 1906, when Professor J. Rheinhardt was put 
in charge. After serving one year he gave place to Professor Max 
Lentz, the present incumbent. His only help consists of student 
assistants. 

Of the courses now offered, four, embracing ten hours of work, 
are designed primarily to acquaint the student with a working 
knowledge of the language. Of the remaining courses one is devoted 
to the leading poets, another to the twelfth and eighteenth centuries 
with a histor}' of German literature, another to scientific German and 
the last to middle-high German. The courses oft'ered number eight 
and include twenty hours of work. A small beginning has been made 
in the collection of a departmental library. The department is now 
one of the largest in the university in point of numbers, the enrollment 
having exceeded 300 in 1908-09. 

Department of Ro:\iance Languages. 

When the separation of English and modern languag-es, so long 
urged, was finally consummated in 1906, Antonio IMarinoni was elected 
adjunct professor of Romance languages and put in charge of the 
department. This position he still holds, having been advanced to 
the rank of full professor. He has never had any assistance except 
such as is aft'orded by student teachers. 

The courses in this department, as now organized, embrace the 
literature of the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the 
French drama, and modern poetry. Eight dift'erent courses are oft'ered, 
embracing thirteen hours of work. The work oft'ered in Spanish and 
Italian, six hours to each, is designed first of all as introductory and 
secondarily to acquaint the student with the masterpieces of each. 
The courses called for by students in 1908-09 amounted to 24 hours. 
Since 1906-07 the number of students in this department has increased 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 223 

from 150 to 185 in 1908-09. Three seniors elected their major in 
Romance languages the last named year. 

The department has received reasonably liberal appropriations, 
$1,500, since 1907. It is expended mainly for books, about 600 now 
being credited to the department. 

Mathematics and Astronomy. 

Mathematics has been forced into a few alliances, some of which 
were not altogether unnatural. For the first year mathematics and 
English were combined in name under Miss Mary Gorton, but there 
were no college classes. General A. B. Pearce became professor of 
mathematics and civil engineering in December, 1873, to be succeeded 
by Colonel O. C. Gray, who kept the place under varying titles until 
1884. For one year, 1876-77, the department of civil engineering was 
separated from mathematics, but the two were combined again, the 
second teacher being retained as an adjunct. This position was held 
for one year each by Charles Waite and J- B. Gordon. The final 
separation of the departments was made in 1879. Colonel Gray was 
retained in the department of mathematics and also made commandant 
of cadets, serving in both capacities until 1884, when he was relieved 
of the latter. 

Upon the general reorganization of the faculty made in 1885 logic 
was combined with mathematics and E. H. Murfee was elected to the 
chair thus created. Two years later the subject of astronomy was 
added. A\nien Professor Murfee became president in August, 1888, 
he was succeeded by O. C. Gray, who held until 1895, when he was 
succeeded in turn by Harrison Randolph. G. A\'. Droke. who became 
adjunct in the department in 1891, succeeded Professor Randolph in 
1897. A year later he succeeded in having the logic transferred from 
his department, which is now known as that of mathematics and 
astronom^^ B. J. Dunn became associate professor in 1897 and A. M. 
Harding adjunct professor in 1907, and Miss Josephine Droke 
instructor in 1908. These constitute the teaching force of the depart- 
ment at this writing. 

The courses oft'ered in mathematics for the first several years 
eml^raced algebra, geometry, trigonometry, surveying and navigation. 



224 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

conic sections, and analytical geometry, all of which were finished by 
the end of junior year. Calculus was soon added to these, curiously 
enough required in the B. A., but not in the B. S. course. For a time 
Robinson was a favorite author, his algebra, geometry, trigonometry, 
and surveying and navigation all being in use at one time (1877-8). 
His algebra was used as late as 1891. Schuyler, Loomis, and Olney 
were among the other authors used in early days, followed by Went- 
worth, Wells, Church, and Byerly. 

With the introduction of the four different courses leading to the 
B. A. in 1891, one of which was based on mathematics, there was an 
increase in the amount of work offered. Hitherto algebra had been 
only a freshman study. Advanced algebra was now introduced ; 
also advanced analytics, the theory of equations and determinants, 
and the theory least squares and quaternions. 

In 1900 algebra ceases to be a requirement of all classes in fresh- 
man, though still required of engineers, but more advanced courses 
were offered from time to time. At present, besides the work 
offered in freshmen, one course of two hours in algebra alone is 
offered, three other courses are presented in conjunction with other 
subjects, two with analytical geometry and one with calculus. 

Several subjects in the higher mathematics were introduced by 
Professor Randolph, among them differential equations, theory of 
surfaces, modern synthetic geometry, modern analytical geometry, 
the theory of substitutions, and analytical mechanics. Some of these 
were intended for graduate students only. 

Regular courses are now offered in solid and spherical geometry, 
plane and spherical trigonometry, analytic geometry, differential and 
integral calculus, equations, analytic geometry of three dimensions, 
modern analytical geometry, advanced calculus, and differential 
geometry. None of the work is purely graduate, though three of 
the courses may be counted on work for the higher degrees. 

As now organized the department, with three men, off'ers seventeen 
different courses amounting to forty-five hours. But several of the 
courses are substitutions for similar courses and could not be taken 
with profit by one Avho has had the other. Also six courses amounting 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 225 

to fourteen hours are catalogued, but no more than two of these are 
offered in any one year. 

Astronomy was catalogued from the beginning, one term of three 
months being devoted to it then. By 1890 we are informed that the 
term is devoted "principally to descriptive astronomy, together with 
much Practical as possible in so short a period." Also that "the 
subject is made interesting and profitable by the use of maps, globe, 
astral lantern, equatorial telescope, sextant and solar compass." 

For many years only one course in astronomy was offered and as 
late as 1896 it extended over only three months. For one year, 1898-99, 
even this was omitted, but since then two courses have been intro- 
duced. Two hours are devoted to descriptive astronomy and two to 
spherical and practical, the work all being done by Adjunct Professor 
Harding. 

The department has a library of about 670 volumes, which is the 
pride of the instructors, and a four-inch telescope and a few other 
instruments. 

Although mathematics was made elective in 1908, the department 
has experienced no remarkable decline. The enrollment for 1906-07 
was 310, for 1907-08, 356, and for 1908-09, 298. 

History and Political Science. 

History and political science both were deemed of sufficient 
importance to be at least recognized even in the necessarily crude and 
imperfect organization effected the first year. The first outline of 
courses offered one term of the "history of civilization" to seniors. 
This arrangement continued for three years when the amount of 
history was increased to two terms and the subject was required of 
freshmen. Of what this history consisted is one of the mysteries not 
to be solved by any equations involving x, y and z, for neither the 
text-book, nor the instructor is known. The year 1873-4 throws a 
little light on the subject, for we know that James Mitchell was then 
professor of history and English, but this adds little to our knowledge 
of the particular field of history taught. 

Three years later Professor Mitchell disappears, taking his chair 
with him. History was then attached to the department of ancient 
and modern languages and English literature, presided over at that 



226 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

time by Professor Leverett, and Miss Sallie E. Harris was designated 
as adjunct professor of English literature and history. Few, if any, 
changes seem to have been made in the work offered until 1878-9, 
when history ceased to be required of freshmen. Instead the junior 
of the course in "Latin Letters" and in "English Letters" must take 
one term of ancient history, and one of modern history, and the senior 
must still learn the history of civilization. It appears that the history 
was really taught by Miss Harris and from her we learn that an effort 
was made "to show clearly a connected, evolving plan ; to deepen 
impression by the study of biography ; to encourage research by 
allowing discussion of well-investigated points ; to add living interest 
by bringing prominently forward the history of to-day ; and, so far as 
within the appreciation of the class, to make facts the basis of 
philosophy." The history of civilization was then taught by Professor 
Gates, the principal of the normal department, and we can imagine 
that he philosophized broadly on this basis, with Guizot and Flint 
for inspiration. Certainly Guizot was used along with Freeman a few 
years later when this course was taught by Miss Harris, who became 
professor of English and history in 1881 and served in that capacity 
until 1885. At the same time history ceased to be an appendage in 
name to the department of ancient languages. As far back as 1878 
Miss Harris had raised the question whether United States history 
should be confined to the preparatory department. In 1882 it was 
announced that an advanced course in this would be required of 
candidates for the Bachelor of English Letters. In 1885 a new 
arrangement was made, ancient history being appended to ancient 
languages, with Professor R. H. AVillis in charge, and modern history 
to English, French, and German with Professor Howard Edwards in 
charge. The strength of the history courses at this time may be 
gathered from the statement that instruction in ancient history, 
extending through sophomore, was "designed to impart accurate 
knowledge of the events of the period of classical literature," and 
that modern history was taught in connection with English, French, 
and German and in the classes studying those languages. Smith's 
Smaller History of Rome and Cox's Smaller History of Greece were 
used as texts in ancient history ; no text was mentioned for modern 
history. 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 227 

Soon there was another shift and history was sandwiched in 
between EngHsh and modern languages (1887) with Professor 
Howard Edwards in charge, and Miss R. W. Moss as assistant 
professor of elocution, English and history. The work now offered 
was a general history course in sophomore and was required of all 
taking the Young Ladies' Course, optional with others, but a year later 
it was required of B. A.'s, B. S.'s and normals, and two terms' work 
was required in the technical courses. Fisher's Universal History and 
Labberton's Historical Atlas were used as texts. 

Except for the substitution of E. L. Fletcher as professor in 1890 
no change of consequence was made until 1891, when the chair of 
history and pedagogics was created and Professor J. F. Howell was 
elected to fall it. From that time on the department of history has 
been a reality in the university, though for a time somewhat handi- 
capped by the above named attachment, and somewhat slow in laying 
aside its swaddling bands. The attachment continued until 1898, 
when, on the earnest recommendation of the president and on motion 
of Trustee Futrall, the chair of history and pedagogy was abolished. 
In lieu thereof two chairs were created, one of philosophy and 
pedagogy, with a salary of $2,000, and one of history, with a salary 
of $1,500. Professor J. W. Fertig was elected to fill the latter. A 
year later the same trustee moved to abolish the chair of history, 
and also of economics and sociology, and establish a chair of history 
and political economy. This motion prevailed and the next day Dr. 
S. J. McLean, who had held the chair of economics and sociology, was 
elected to fill the new chair. 

This combination was caused partly by financial pressure, though 
it was intended to provide an assistant. However, Dr. McLean 
protested against being given the work in history and at a called 
meeting of the board held in August, on motion of Trustee 
McDonough, the resolution combining the departments was rescinded 
and Dr. A. F. Lewis was elected professor of history. Such is his 
title on the faculty page, but the departments of instruction reveal 
the fact that he also had charge of the work in political science. The 
departments have not yet been separated. For 1901-2 Dr. Lewis 
secured leave of absence, his place being supplied by Professor Arthur 
C. Barrows. In 1902 Professor J. H. Reynolds was elected. Down to 



228 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

1907 all the collegiate work was done by one man because of an 
unwillingness to turn over any of the work to student assistants or an 
inexperienced teacher. In 1907 an appropriation was secured for an 
additional teacher and D. Y. Thomas entered on his duties as 
associate professor in September of that year. 

The courses announced for the first year after the creation of the 
new department (1891) are somewhat disappointing-, especially in the 
sense of proportion. A course in general history, based on Myers' 
General History and Montgomery's England "with helpful books for 
parallel reading," was required of sophomores in all courses leading 
to the B. A. and B. S. The only other courses offered, two in number, 
were for graduates, one being "Advanced Ancient History" and the 
other "Advanced Modern History." The "advance" was based on 
Smith, Merivale, and the Student's Gibbon in the former and Lodge's 
Modern Europe, Jervis' History of France, Greene's Short History of 
the English People, and Lewis' Germany in the latter. The following 
year there was a decided advance. Six courses were offered, one of 
two hours in constitutional history, a three hour course in general 
history, a one hour course in .English history, a two, hour course in 
ancient history, a two hour course in European history, and a two 
hour course in American history. 

The first of these was really a course in political science and its 
development will be traced in connection with that subject. The 
course in general history was the traditional course, covering- in 
outline the world's history from the earliest records to the present. 
It continued to be offered until 1899, when it finally disappeared. The 
so-called course in iEnglish history, which then was given with 
special reference to the development of the English language and 
literature, more properly belonged to the English department, but its 
character soon changed and out of this has grown the English history 
courses now offered. Its first development appears to have been into 
political history under Professor Howell, and then Professor Fertig 

(1899) added a course in constitutional history. Professor Lewis 

(1900) combined these into a two hours course on constitutional and 
political history and the course was increased to three hours by 
Professor Reynolds in 1903. In 1907-8 two three hour courses in 
English history were provided to be offered in alternate years. One 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 229 

is a general culture course covering the whole period of English 
history and dealing with the political, religious, literary and economic 
life of the people. The first term of the second course is a more 
intensive study of the same topics under the Tudors and Stuarts, 
while the second traces the growth of the British empire and the 
development of the colonial system. 

The course in ancient history was intended at first for juniors, but 
in 1899 it was made a required freshman study. Since 1902 it has 
been offered mainly for the benefit of those making Latin or Greek 
their major. One term is devoted to Greece and one to Rome, and the 
course is offered in alternate years. The year 1892 marked the intro- 
duction of a course in modern European history, beginning with the 
so-called fall of Rome. At that time it was offered for seniors, but 
was made a freshman study in 1903 and has remained such ever since. 
It is not a required subject, but the number of students taking it has 
shown a healthy growth from 81 in 1903-04 to 175 in 1908-09. 

Except for the "advanced course in United States History" required 
of applicants for the B. Eng. Let. in 1882, no collegiate course in 
American history seems to have been oft'ered until 1892. A two hour 
course was then offered to seniors, beginning with "ancient America" 
and including Canada, Mexico, and South America. In 1899 the 
colonial period was dropped and the course made one on political 
and constitutional history. Some dissatisfaction having arisen over 
the teaching of this subject the board interfered in 1899 and prescribed 
as texts Lee's Advanced History of the United States and Curry's 
Southern States in the American Union, but these books were soon 
found inadequate for a college course and were dropped. In 1903 
the colonial period was restored and the course was lengthened to 
three hours. The course then remained unchanged until 1907 when 
the colonial period was again dropped, or rather relegated to the 
course on the British empire, and two half year courses of two hours 
were added for advanced students, one on the period 1763-1789, and 
the other 1850-1877. 

Two other courses in European history which were first offered 
in 1900, the French Revolution and Napoleon, and Europe in the 
nineteenth century, have since had an unbroken career, except that 




X 



p 



w 



> 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 231 

they have not always been offered every 3^ear. Each is a two hour 
course extending over half a year. For one year alone, 1895-6, half 
year two hour courses in French and German history were catalogued, 
but the strength of the teaching force was not sufficient to keep them 
up. A two hour course in ecclesiastical history was offered in 1894 
and continued for three years. For one year Professor Fertig offered 
a one hour outline course in the history of art. In 1905 President 
Hartzog offered a course of lectures on the history of fine and applied 
art. Professor Lewis (1899-1900) offered a special two hour course, 
extending over half a year, on the Renaissance and Reformation, but 
none of his successors has repeated it. He also revived the "history 
of civilization" for one year. 

The first outline of courses made a reasonably liberal allowance 
for political science in the senior year. One term was devoted to 
each of the subjects, Constitution of the United States, constitutional 
law, and civil polity. For several years these were regarded as a 
necessary part of the cultural studies every graduate must take, 
whether in the arts or technical courses. A term's work in international 
law replaced constitutional law in 1878 and kept its place until 1884, 
when all were dropped for one year. Constitutional law then 
reappeared, but was again dropped in 1887. 

Down to this time it is difffcult to tell of what particular depart- 
ment political science was made an appendage, though it is certain 
that President Hill taught at least a part of the courses a part of the 
time (1877-8) and that Professor Gates sometimes taught "civil 
polity." In 1885-6 the statement is made that "the work will be 
distributed among the different professors until it shall be feasible 
to create a distinct chair." In 1889 the department of psychology, 
ethics, and political economy, in charge of President Murfee and Mr. 
J. F. Howell, offered a course in civil government based on Thorpe's 
and Cocker's Civil Government, Townsend's Analysis, and Anderson 
Manual of the Constitution. Two years later even this was gone, but 
it reappeared in 1892 under the guise of "Constitutional History." 
Judged by its outline this course was the germ of nearly all the 
courses since offered in political science. Beginning with "Government 
and its origin" it passes through the development of the English 
constitution and makes a study of "Government and Administration 



232 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

in the United States, National, State and Municipal," all this in a two 
hour course. In 1894 this formidable outline was reduced to "Fiske's 
Civil Government, lectures and readings." In 1899 it was reduced to 
one hour and in 1903 disappeared as such. 

The course in comparative governments, which is a study of the 
national constitutions of the leading states in Europe and America, 
made its appearance in 1899 as a two hour course and has enjoyed 
a continuous existence ever since, though reduced in 1903 to a half- 
year three hour course. After a quiescence of fifteen years international 
law reappeared in 1899 and is still ofifered for three hours during 
second term. Since 1903 a half-year two hour course has been offered 
on American state governments. For a time it was associated with 
municipal government in the second term, but in 1908 this was 
replaced by a course on political parties. Beginning in 1904 a half- 
year three hour course in jurisprudence was offered for two years. 
The "Political Philosophers," offered in 1902, was revived in 1907 
for one year as a history of political theories. 

As the work now stands two men in the department of history and 
political science offer eighteen hours of history and five of political 
science. As some classes are so large that they have to be divided 
into sections it is impossible to offer all of these courses every year, 
but some courses are made to alternate with others in such a way that 
students are enabled to get a considerable amount of the work, if they 
so desire. 

The facilities for teaching these subjects have not always been 
the best, but the teachers have at least been alive to the needs of the 
department. After repeated requests for appropriations to buy books 
and maps Miss Harris said in 1882: "As well think that mineralogy 
and botany can be taught without specimens, or chemistry without 
illustrative apparatus and materials, as that history can be taught 
without maps and books of reference, or English without actual 
contact with the 'literature in which the great thoughts 'of master 
spirits' have been 'embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life 
beyond life.' " She thought it only reasonable that the department of 
history and English should be treated as liberally as the others. 
Perhaps her appeal bore fruit. Six years later we learn that the 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 233 

department owns several "accurate and beautiful maps" and that the 
library is "comparatively rich in historical works" and is an 
"invaluable auxiliary to the work of the course." 

When he took charge of the department in 1902 Professor 
Reynolds found 55 books known to belong to the department. From 
1899 to 1909 $5,600 was appropriated for the maintenance of the 
department, most of which has been expended for books, except for 
two years when the fund was drawn upon for the support of the 
associate professor. Except for this the greater part of the fund has 
been spent for books, and several maps and charts. In this way 880 
volumes have been added to the departmental library. This has been 
very important in that it has enabled the teachers to use library 
methods of instruction. As the library grows this method is used 
more and more. The lecture system is used to a limited extent in some 
of the advanced classes. 

The growth in attendance upon the courses of study has been 
noteworthy. For the session of 1895-6 there were 139, in 1899-1900, 
185. On the introduction of the elective system there was a falling ofif, 
only 81 being registered in 1902-3. Since then, however, the growth 
has been constant and rapid. In 1906-7 the number reached 200, in 
1907-8, 264, and in 1908-9, 307. 

The department has rendered some noteworthy services to the 
university and the State. Since the coming of Professor Reynolds it 
has secured the passage of a legislative act directing that certain 
United States and state publications 1)e turned over to the library. 
In this way 2,000 volumes were secured and these will go a long way 
toward completing the set of government publications. In addition 
100 volumes have been secured from the library of the late Hon. T. M. 
Gunter and 100 from Mr. Hugh Reagan. 

Another and important service has been performed in stirring up' 
and keeping alive an interest in Arkansas history. In the spring of 
1903 the professor of history organized an historical society among 
the students which has since evolved into the Arkansas Historical 
Association. He has served as secretary of the organization since its 
foundation, has edited its publications (two volumes), and has been 
largely instrumental in securing the passage of an act to create a 
history commission. 



234 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Economics and Sociology. 

The department of economics and sociology is of comparatively 
recent origin. From the founding of the university until 1897, with 
the exception of two years political economy seems always to have 
been assigned to the president, along with other subjects belonging 
by tradition to that office, such as mental and moral philosophy. For 
two years 1884-5, it was attached to the chair of English, French, 
German, and Modern history. At other times when nominally 
assigned to the president, it was not always taught by him. For 
example in 1886-7 it was taught by Professor Murfee, then in the 
department of mathematics and logic, and he continued to teach it 
after becoming president. His successor, Dr. Buchanan, did likewise 
until the creation of the separate department. 

June 13, 1896, on motion of Trustee W. H. Langford, a chair of 
political economy and sociology was created, to be filled at the next 
annual meeting. When the board met again the following June the 
election was postponed and the secretary and local members were 
instructed to solicit applications. Dr. S. J. McLean was finally 
secured and proceeded to organize the department in September. 
Concerning their motives for establishing this department the board 
themselves had this to say : 

"In all the leading institutions of the country much attention has 
been given of late years to the study of political economy. This subject 
has been thrust forward into still greater prominence by reason of 
the fact that economic questions constituted the principal issue in the 
last presidential campaign and are again looming on the horizon 
of 1900. 

In 1897 the board organized the department of economics and 
placed Dr. S. J. McLean in charge of it. The great prominence and 
popularity of the subject has assured the success of this department 
from its organization. Dr. McLean served until 1902, when he was 
called to Leland Stanford. He was succeeded by Dr H. A. Millis who 
served one year and also went to Stanford. His successor, Dr. C. H. 
Brough, is the present incumbent. -In 1907 an adjunct professor was 
added in the person of Neil Carothers, who was made an associate in 
1909. 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 235 

Little political economy and less sociology was offered the student 
for the first quarter century of the history of the university. For 
many years "political economy" was one of the subjects required of 
seniors for one term. The first information that we have concerning 
the nature of the course is that Perry's Political Economy was used 
as a text, later Chapin, Mill, Adam Smith, and Say were all mentioned 
along with Perry. The aim of the teacher was "to give a succinct 
statement of the undisputed principles of political economy, and to 
discuss conflicting views with all possible fairness." This about sums 
up our knowledge of the character and extent of the instruction in 
economics previous to the creation of the department. 

When Professor McLean took charge in the fall of 1879 he found 
that the schedule had been arranged without reference to his work, 
yet he organized several classes and found them well attended, 
especially by juniors and seniors whose time open for electives 
permitted them to take the work. The following year he was enabled 
to efi^ect a better organization and ofifered one course extending 
throughout the year and six extending over one term or half the year, 
making a total of nine hours devoted to different subjects. It must 
be assumed that when only one course was offered in economics it 
was of an elementary nature. Professor McLean's first course, 
principles of economics, was of this character. He was able to secure 
for it only two hours but the time has since been lengthened to three 
and elementary work in other subjects, such as the labor problem, 
tariff, and trusts, is included. All of the other courses introduced by 
Professor McLean are still offered, most of them unchanged, except 
that later professors have, of course, kept abreast with the most recent 
literature on the respective subjects. Three hours each for half a year 
were devoted to money and banking, taxation and finance, and railway 
transportation. All are still oft'ered, the second now appearing as 
public finance and the financial history of the United States. The 
other courses introduced by Professor McLean were in the nature of 
economic history. The industrial history of America and Europe 
since 1763 offered three hours for half a year has since been modified 
by dropping Europe and reducing the time to two hours. The tariff 
history and problems has been made a three instead of a two hour half- 
year course. ' The history of economic thought from Plato to 



236 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Aristotle was presented in some form until 1905, when it was dropped 
altogether. 

Two other courses were introduced by Professor McLean before 
leaving", one on commerce, and one on labor legislation, each a two 
hour half-year course. The first was changed by Professor Millis to 
commercial geography and was dropped in 1904. The second was 
made more general by Professor Millis under the title "labor problems" 
and it is still ofifered as "the labor question." The "trust prob- 
lem" first became a reality to students of the university of 1904, 
being introduced by Dr. Brough. The successful operation of the 
Arkansas anti-trust law made a separate course unnecessary, but some 
attention is still given to the general subject in connection with other 
subjects. The financial history of the United States, introduced by 
Professor Millis as a three hour half-year course, was merged in 1906 
with the course on public finance. 

Two distinctly economic courses have been introduced by Dr. 
Brough, both three hour full-year courses. One relates to insurance, 
modern advertising and trust finance, and one to the economic 
problems of the present. The last is carried on by means of lectures, 
debates, and discussions. The total work in economics now amounts 
to fifteen hours. Dr. Brough has also introduced some courses which 
belong to the realm of law rather than to that of economics, though 
related to the latter. A course on "law," dealing with corporations, 
contracts, etc., was offered in 1904, but replaced the following year 
by one three hour course on business law, which is still offered for 
three hours during the year. Since 1908 a three hour course in 
engineering law has been ofifered for the benefit of students in 
technology. The work in law amounts to six hours. 

Although "social science" was included in the first outline of the 
B. A. course, about all we know concerning sociology previous to 1897 
is that it was taught by means of lectures in 1884-5, probably by 
President Edgar. After he ceased to be president the subject was not 
mentioned again until the department of economics and sociology was 
created. 

During his incumbency in this chair Professor McLean offered 
two courses, one of an elementary character on the principles of 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 237 

sociology, the other on the problems of social growth, each a two 
hour half year course. The first is still ofifered. The second gave 
place in 1903 to social pathology and this in turn in 1905 to modern 
methods of charity. In 1904 Dr. llrough introduced a course on 
socialism, which, as socialism and social reform, is still offered. The 
total work in sociology now amounts to four hours. 

A good working library of approximately 500 volumes has been 
collected and is being increased as rapidly as funds will admit. 

The department has grown steadily since its organization. The 
number of students enrolled in 1902 was 103. In four years this 
numl)er had risen to 225 and by the close of 1908-9 to 275. This 
year there were twelve seniors making their major in this department. 

Chemistry. 

This department, like most others that are now single, was a long 
time in securing a final decree of separation, though it had the 
advantage of starting with a separate existence. In 1873 the board 
resolved to create the chair of theoretical and applied chemistry and 
elected Professor T. L. Thompson, of Iowa, to fill it. Previous to this 
time it is not probable that any chemistry had been taught in the 
university by anybody. Professor Thompson began work in October, 
1873, and served until his death in February, 1875. The chair was left 
vacant the rest of the year, but it is probable that the work was 
divided among the other professors, as student assistants were 
employed in the preparatory department after Professor Thompson's 
death. 

At the June meeting of the board Professor F. L. Harvey, also of 
Iowa, was elected to the chair of theoretical and applied chemistry, 
but two years later the name was changed to natural science and 
chemistry. In 1879, on motion of Trustee Royston, an adjunct 
professorship was authorized and C. P. Conrad, was chosen to fill the 
position. This action gave the department of natural science and 
chemistry two out of a faculty of eight in the collegiate department, 
not counting the professors of music and of military tactics. 

In 1881 the work in science was divided into two departments. 
Professor Harvey taking that of biology and geology and Professor 



238 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Conrad that of chemistry and physics. The latter served until 1885 
when he was swept away in obedience to the demand of the legislature 
for a tabula rasa of the faculty slate. In obedience to the demands of 
that same body for a reduction of the teaching force the departments 
were again combined and George D. Purinton was elected professor 
of chemistry, mineralogy, geology, and biology. Two years later the 
duties of superintendent of agriculture were added to the department, 
whereupon Professor Purinton resigned and was succeeded by 
Professor A. E. Menke (August, 1887) and S. S. Twombly was 
associated with him as adjunct professor. 

In 1891 physics was substituted for mineralogy, geology, and 
biology and in 1897 the superintendency of agriculture was finally 
detached. The alliance with physics was kept up until 1905, when that 
subject was detached and chemistry became a separate department. 

Professor Menke served until 1902, when he was succeeded by 

A. M. Muckenfuss. When the latter returned to Mississippi in 1905 
he was succeeded by C. G. Carroll. Adjunct Professor Twombly 
served until December, 1888. The following August, C. B. Colling- 
wood, who was already connected with the experiment station, was 
elected to take his place, giving way in turn to G. L. Teller in 1890. 
A year later he was succeeded by W. B. Bentley, who was raised to 
the rank of associate in 1894 and served until 1900, when he was 
called to the Ohio State University. P. H. Walker then served two 
years, giving place to L. H. Rose and he in turn, after two years, to 
H. E. Morrow, the present incumbent. 

Naturally the first course in chemistry offered by Professor 
Thompson (1873) was of an elementary character. Students in the 

B. A. course were required to pursue the study two terms (six 
months), others one or two terms more. Some experimental work 
was made possible from the beginning by the at the time generous 
appropriation of $500 made b}^ the board of trustees for the purchase 
of apparatus. By 1878 the information with regard to the work is a 
little more definite. Chemical physics was then studied for one term 
as introductory to the longer course in organic (or general) chemistry. 
Three hours a week were devoted to recitations and lectures and ten 
to laboratory work, about three hundred experiments being performed 
by the students. Besides his texts the student had access to a few 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 239 

works of reference, such as Watts' Chemical Dictionary, Wagner's 
Chemical Technology, Fresenius', Liebig's, Caldwell's, Johnston's, 
and Johnson's works. 

The increase of the teaching force made in 1879 made possible 
additions to the work in chemistry. Analytical chemistry was offered, 
one term in qualitative analysis to juniors and one in quantitative 
analysis to seniors. The latter could also take industrial chemistry 
throughout the year, and a course in agricultural chemistry was 
offered to students in agriculture. Except that industrial chemistry 
was dropped for one year (1882-83) practically no changes were made 
until the radical faculty changes of 1885 made necessary a reduction 
in the amount of work offered. 

The matter of teaching force was not the only difficulty which had 
to be confronted. In reviewing the situation Professor Conrad said 
(1885) that the difficulties were: "(a) Lack of students required to 
take the regular course in analytical chemistry ; (b) lack of time for 
its introduction as part of the general course in chemistry — one year, 
and this sophomore, being allowed in which everything is to be 
learned ; (c) lack of a suitable room in which students could pursue 
their work at all seasons free from interference by weather or other 
accident and in close proximity to which chemicals and supplies could 
be stored and necessary apparatus made available." He was further 
of opinion that "the principles of the science of chemistry and the 
applications of these in reasoning upon chemical phenomena were 
beyond the powers of the average sophomore student in attendance 
here" and recommended simpler methods of teaching, beginning with 
Appleton's series in freshman and extending the general course 
through sophomore and junior. 

Though not allowed to carry out his own recommendations Pro- 
fessor Conrad had the satisfaction of knowing that they were accepted 
and acted upon at least in part. The Appleton series was adopted and 
some very elementary chemistry was taught in the sub-freshman 
"science." The board appropriated $1,000 to fit up a laboratory in 
a suite of rooms on the third floor of the main building. The 
laboratory was supplied with the common necessities and provided 
accommodations for thirty students. Three courses were offered, but 
only two were called for the first vear after reorganization. 



240 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

From this time on for several years the alliance with agriculture 
showed its influence in the character of the courses ofifered. In 1890 
out of six courses, only two belonged to pure science, the others being 
related to agriculture and technology. The general reorganization of 
the courses of study made the following year affected this departitlent 
also, though there was no change in its head. Five courses were now 
offered, amounting to fourteen hours, practically all in the realm of 
pure science. By 1902 the number had increased to fourteen and the 
hours to at least thirty, though the alliance with physics had not yet 
been broken. At present the department offers twenty-one courses, 
some of which extend over only half the year, amounting to at least 
thirty-six hours. The new features introduced by Dr. Carroll, the 
present incumbent, are physical chemistry, history of chemistry, 
chemical colloquium, and journal meeting. In some courses the 
lecture and recitation work is separated from the laboratory work so 
that students may take one or both and the amount of credits will 
depend on the amount of laboratory work done. The total work 
offered amounts to 48 hours. 

In 1895, upon the recommendation of Professor Menke, the board 
created a chair of pharmacy in connection with and under the direction 
of the department of chemistry and elected W. R. Lamar to take 
charge. The legislature of 1909 authorized the board to create such a 
department, if the druggists of the state would supply the necessary 
funds. 

The department of chemistry is one of the best equipped in the 
university. It occupies a separate building, two stories high, built of 
brick, at a cost of $8,000. It has received appropriations amounting 
to $7,000 since 1905, the appropriation for 1909 being $3,000. These 
funds are expended mainly for apparatus and chemicals and for books 
and periodicals. The apparatus and chemicals now on hand are valued 
at $5,000. In the second floor of the building is a lecture room which 
will accommodate one hundred and twenty students. The laboratories 
will accommodate one hundred and forty-four students in Chemistry 1, 
thirty-two in Chemistry 5, and from four to fifteen in the other courses. 

The library, though not imposing in size, is modern and highly 
useful though some of the volumes are out of date. It comprises 480 
bound volumes and 75 unbound volumes of journals, dating for the 



242 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

most part since 1904. Of the journals devoted to chemistry it receives 
regularly seven published in German, three published in French, and 
six published in English, all of which are familiar to specialists in 
chemistry. Standard treatises are added from time to time as funds 
will allow. Among the recent additions may be mentioned Beilstein's 
Handbuch der organischen Chemie ; Ostwald's Lehrbuch der allge- 
meinen Chemie ; Abegg's Handbuch der anorganischen Chemie ; 
Margosche's Die Chemische Analyse. 

The enrollment in the department has ranged from 175 in 1904-5 
to 220 in 1906-7 and 150 in 1908-9. In the last year the regulation 
requiring preparatory physics as a prerequisite to chemistry went into 
effect and this accounts for at least a part of the decrease. Of the 
forty-eight hours of work offered in 1908-9 thirty-seven hours were 
called for by students. 

Biology. 

Considerable work in biology was required in some courses from 
the beginning, but it is not known who taught it previous to 1887, 
when "natural science" was added to the department of chemistry, 
then held by Professor F. L. Harvey. In 1879 Professor C. P. Conrad 
was associated with Professor Harvey, but two years later the work 
was divided and Professor Harvey took the department of biology 
and geology. The new department continued its separate existence 
until 1885 when, in obedience to the demand of the legislature that 
the faculty be "reduced to the number required to meet the necessity 
according to the number of pupils in the Collegiate Department," 
it was again combined with chemistry under Professor George D. 
Purinton. Two years later it was divorced from chemistry and 
attached to physics, which had not even been mentioned since 1885, 
and put in charge of Professor F. W. Simonds, but this attachment 
was of brief duration, physics being dropped at the end of the year. 
In December, 1890, J. F. McNeil became professor of biology and 
geology, vice F. W. Simonds resigned, and served until 1899. 
iMeantime (1897) geology was separated and the department of 
biology was recognized as a separate entity. Professor F. W. Pickell, 
the present incumbent, took charge in 1899. From the beginning 
a year's work in botany was required of agricultural students, one term 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 243 

of classical and engineering students and one term of zoology was 
required of agricultural students. After "natural science" was added 
to the department of chemistry the work in biology was described 
a little more in detail. The course in biology was said to begin in 
the preparatory department with physiology. This was elementary, 
laying the foundation for comparative zoology in the second term 
of sophomore. Freshmen devoted one term to elementary botany 
and sophomores one term to cryptogamic and economic botany. 

Upon the creation of the department of biology in 1881 this same 
work was continued and then was added a term's work in advanced 
physiology ; also a term of laboratory work in advanced biology. After 
the legislative quake of 1885 entomology was included with the 
foregoing under the general head of biology and comparative 
anatomy and physiology were treated as "preparatory to the study 
of stock-breeding." 

By 1891 the work in botany had increased to two courses of four 
hours each and a course in laboratory work of indefinite amount, and 
three courses in zoology amounting to twelve hours. Introductory 
to this was a course in general biology for freshmen, consisting of 
three hours of class-room work and six of laboratory. Entomology 
and horticulture were still looked after by this department, twelve 
hours or more being devoted to the two. 

As now organized the department offers nine courses extending 
over thirty hours, though not all can be given in one year with the 
present teaching force. They deal with general biology, botany, 
and nature study, bacteriology, general zoology, comparative anatomy 
of vertebrates, animal histology and embryology, and physiology. 

The number of students taking biology has increased from 56 in 
1899-1900 to 115 in 1908-9. The number of seniors making their 
major in biology has increased from two in 1905-6 to nine in 1908-9. 

Since 1903 the department has received and expended $2,719. 
It has been used to purchase books and periodicals and laboratory 
apparatus and material. The department has only 415 volumes. The 
laboratory instruments now belonging to the department are valued 
at $2,500.00, but are not considered adequate to present needs. Many 
specimens of animal and plant life have been collected from various 
parts of the United States. 



244 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Geology and Mining. 

The formative history of this department down to 1896 has already 
been related in connection with that of the department of biology. 
In 1896 A. H. Purdue was elected associate professor of geology and 
curator of the museum. He was made full professor two years later, 
and the subject of mineralogy was added to the department. In 1903 
the department was designated as that of geology and mining. In 
1905 the teaching force was increased by the addition of A. A. Steel 
as associate professor of geology and mining. 

A step toward the separation of the subjects was taken in 1909 
when Professor Purdue was designated head of the department, 
professor of geology and curator of the museum, and Professor Steel 
was made professor of mining. 

Some work in physical geography, geology, and mineralogy was 
required from the beginning of the university, one term being devoted 
to each subject. By 1878 we learn that juniors studied mineralogy 
in connection with lithological geology and that they also gave 
one term to dynamical and historical geology. Dana's, Cornell's 
Guyot's, Lyell's and AVarren's books were in use, as well as the 
geological surveys of many of the states and also government reports. 
Field excursions early became a regular part of the course. 

About the only change made in this department upon the creation 
of the department of biology and geology in 1881 was the addition of 
a little economic geology. When combined with chemistry, physical 
geography and mineralogy were dropped. In 1892 only one course 
of three hours was offered, although Adjunct Professor Meek had 
been added to the departmental force, but the next year two other 
courses were introduced, one in historical geology and paleontology, 
and one in agricultural geology. The work in geology now amounted 
to about nine hours of lectures and recitations and at least twelve 
hours of laboratory and field work. 

The work was now taught by Professor Meek who, by 1895, had 
rearranged the courses somewhat and had introduced petrography. 
When Professor Purdue took charge in 1896 he offered a two-hour 
course in physiography, three hours in general geology and continental 
evolution, three in economic geology, one in practical geology, two in 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, 245 

paleontology, two in crystallography and mineralogy and field and 
special work of an indefinite amount. The hours now ofifered have 
been increased to fifteen, but paleontology has disappeared as a 
separate course and practical geology has advanced from one to a 
three-hour course. 

Although the department was designated as that of geology and 
mining in 1903, no courses in mining were announced until 1904, when 
the teaching force was augmented by the addition of Associate 
Professor Steel. The work in mining was all arranged by him and 
has been given by him ever since. There were eight different courses, 
only one of which extended throughout the year, making a total of 
eleven and one-half hours. They dealt with details of mining 
operations, mining methods, mine p'lant and administration, engineer- 
ing problems of mines, mine examinations and reports, and ore 
dressing. These courses have remained practically unchanged. Pro- 
fessor Steel has also added two allied courses, one in general 
metallurgy and one in assaying, the two amounting to four and 
one-half hours. In connection with the new general course leading to 
the degree of B. S. in Cement Engineering, which was proposed by 
him, he has introduced two courses in cement amounting to five 
hours. The first is an introductory course dealing with cement 
manufacture and methods of handling the materials, while the second 
presents a critical study of cement-making machinery, methods of 
mixing materials, etc. 

The growth in the number of students in this department has been 
steady and constant. In 1896-97 there were thirteen, in 1908-09, 148. 
The number has never been smaller in any year than it was the 
preceding. 

Since 1897 the department has received $11,900 in special appro- 
priations and has expended it for equipment, supplies and books. 
The library has grown from 250 volumes to 1,950, and 1,500 pamphlets, 
all of which may be classed as useful. The laboratory equipment is 
fairly adequate to the present needs. 

The department has been active outside the class room and 
laboratory. It has examined and reported on thousands of mineral 



246 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Specimens, has stimulated federal and state geological work and has 
been the chief cause of the reestablishment of the state geological 
survey. 

Philosophy and Pedagogy. 

For a brief season after the founding of the university the hearts 
of philosophy and pedagogy beat in unison, but they soon separated, 
and for many years the former pursued the somewhat uneven tenor of 
his way in philosophical single blessedness. Pedagogy also pined 
alone until finally consoled in the arms of history. This made 
philosophy jealous and, forgetting to be philosophical, he assumed the 
role of suitor and finally won over pedagogy, after securing her 
divorce from staid old history, so that now they, too, are enjoying a 
state of mental repose together. 

In plainer language the story is this. When the university was 
founded, N. P. Gates, the acting president, was professor of mental 
and moral philosophy and principal of the normal department. In 
December, 1873, he gaA^e place to A. W. Bishop as president, but 
retained his position in the normal. From that time until 1898, with 
the exception of one year, following a tradition which was only 
beginning to be broken down, philosophy was always assigned to the 
president. When General Bishop resigned in 1874 Professor Gates 
again became acting president, but philosophy was not mentioned 
at all. The following year he was designated professor of political 
economy and civil polity, B. J. Borden serving as professor of mental 
and moral philosophy. Upon the election of General D. H. Hill in 
1876 the work was again associated with the presidency, now as 
mental and moral science. From 1884 to 1886 it was handled by 
President George M. Edgar. For a time then the vacant presidential 
chair was supposed to look after this subject and the ancient languages 
along with it, but was to be provided with an assistant. For a while 
Professor E. H. Murfee, of the department of mathematics and logic, 
acted as president and finally became president and professor of 
psychology and ethics. In 1894 he was succeeded by Dr. J. L. 
Buchanan, who retained the same professorial title until 1900, though 
the department of philosophy and pedagogy was created in 1898. 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 247 



Down to 1884 logic seems to have belonged to the president's 
department. From that time until 1884 it was regarded as an 
appendage of the department of mathematics. With the exception of 
1875-76, N. P. Gates served as principal of the normal department from 
its first organization until 1884. The one year he was president Miss 
Mary Gorton was principal. During 1884-85 work in this department 
was practically suspended. In 1885 J- F. Howell became principal of 
the normal department "and ex-officio principal of the preparatory 
Mary Gorton was principal. During 1884-85 work in this department 
was found to interfere with the development of the normal and two 
years later his title was changed to "senior assistant and instructor in 
pedagogy." At the same time he ceased to be a member of the 
faculty. Such was his status until 1891, when he again entered the 
facidty as professor of history and pedagogy. This position he 
retained until 1898. 

Upon the union of philosophy and pedagogy in 1898 Professor 
Junius Jordon was elected to take charge of the department and of 
the work leading to the normal certificate. In 1902 he was succeeded 
by Dr. W. S. Johnson, the present incumbent. Four years later he 
was given an assistant in the person of Miss Augusta Nelken as 
training teacher in charg-e of the model school. Since 1907 Miss Rose 
Bland has held this position. 

From the founding of the university one of the departments out of 
which the present department of philosophy and pedagogy was evolved 
was in name at least a favored child ; in reality at times a step-child. 
The act founding the university made specific mention of a normal 
department. The first acting president as principal of the department 
was supposed to have been favorable to it. In his inaugural address 
President Bishop declared that such a department was inferior to no 
other in general importance and one that was especially needed to 
instruct and train teachers for the common schools of the State. In 
favor of this department its students were exempted from the require- 
ment placed on others to take work in agriculture and mechanics and 
the number of beneficiaries was made equal to the number in all other 
departments. 

The general normal courses leading to degrees are described 
elsewhere. The only distinctly normal or pedagogical work ofifered 
at first consisted of a vear in methods of teaching and an indefinite 



248 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



amount of practice teaching. When Professor Gates was relieved 
of the presidential duties he added a term's work in the theory and 
art of teaching and required some essays on mental development. 
Normal students had all the time been required to take philosophy. 
While Miss Gorton was principal a term's work was added on the 
relation of the school to the state. 

In 1875 the president (Gates) could "point with pride to the growth 
of the normal"— 10 students in 1872, 29 in 1873-74, and 56 in 1874-75, 
"a. gain of nearly one hundred per cent, over the previous year." Of 
the fifty-six, thirteen had begun teaching since June, yet he had to 
confess that there had been a shameless abuse of the department by 
students entering to avoid the payment of tuition. 

Professor Gates was relieved of presidential duties in 1877, yet there 
was practically no change in the amount or character of the peda- 
gogical work offered. However, it should be remembered that he 
was called on to teach subjects belonging to other departments. As 
late as 1882 he gave only three hours a week to normal work and this 
amount does not seem to have been increased any during his 
connection with the department. 

During this period the growth in students can not be said to have 
been healthy and encouraging. P'or 1875-76 there were 30 of collegiate 
grade and 21 preparatory, while there were 55 collegiate students in 
the course in general science and literature out of a total enrollment 
of 270. The following year the change was slightly to the advantage 
of the normals. In 1875 there were 10 graduates in the normal, 3 in 
1876, and 6 in 1877, but no more for ten years. For this period, with 
the exception of one year, no attention was paid to normal students 
in making up the catalogue, but we learn from other sources that 
there were some — 82 out of a total of 441, of whom 120 were collegiate, 
in 1880-81, and only 69 out of 363 in 1881-82, of whom 88 were in the 
college. These facts indicate that, while the enrollment did not show 
a decided falling off as compared with other departments, the work 
was not pursued with great seriousness, there being no graduates. 
When Colonel Edgar assumed the presidency he expressed surprise 
at the condition of the normal department and sought an explanation 
from his associates in the faculty. His questions implied that there 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 249 

had been difficulty in "coordinating the normal department to the 
other departments" and that it had not been efficient and popular. 
A previous report of the committee of visitors had implied the same 
thing. 

Professor Edmiston's explanation was that it was due to in part 
to the excessive modesty and lack of self-assertion on the part of the 
principal and to the well known coolness, not to say hostility, of the 
president toward both the department and its principal. Professor 
Gray concurred in this opinion, saying that no proper place had been 
given the normal work on the daily program, it being first pushed ofif 
into a corner and finally out of the university. Another explanation 
offered by Professor Edmiston was that the courses ofifered were 
not such as to appeal to the students. Within recent years there had 
been no regular students of collegiate grade in the normal, though a 
few had taken "methods" when not too crowded with other work. 
He, with Professors Welch and Gray, did not think a strictly normal 
department was practicable in conjunction with the literary and 
scientific work of a college, where the students took other than normal 
work with the regular and suggested the establishment of a chair of 
pedagogy to "teach how other men teach and work." Professor Gray 
thought the work should be relegated to the preparatory department. 

An effort seems to have been made to carry out the last suggestion. 
The "normal professor" was made ex-officio principal of the prepara- 
tory department, thus reviving the normal department, which had been 
quiescent for a year. Thirty-five now enrolled as normal students, 
fifteen in college and twenty in the preparatory. The former studied 
Hewitt's Pedagogy and Parker's Talks on Teaching three times a 
week ; the latter the first three books of Kellogg's School Management 
five times a week. At the end of two years the faculty invented a 
new scheme of classes which, it was thought, would insure the perfect 
coordination of the normal with the other departments, and the 
connection of the normal with the preparatory department ceased, but, 
at the same time, the head of the normal ceased to be a member of 
the faculty. 

The most noteworthy immediate result seems to have been the 
dropping of pedagogy out of the course for a year, but it was restored 
in 1887 on petition of the students. Normal instruction was then 



250 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

begun in sub-freshman and completed in sophomore. Psychology, 
which was presented to the sub-freshmen in outline, was made the 
basis of technical instruction. We are told that students were 
"encouraged and trained to study their own mental phenomena, and 
to note evidences of similar phenomena in others, especially children." 
While considerable alteration was given to books and journals, 
students were taught to "avoid a slavish dependence upon the methods 
of others, and encouraged to devise methods of their own." In the 
absence of a model school for practice teaching the members of the 
class conducted recitations in the common branches by turns. Dewey's 
Psychology was the basis of the work in that subject and Painter's 
History of Education formed the basis of a new course. 

. The students enrolled in the normal for the year 1887-88 numbered 
56 out of a total of 443, but there was a steady decline until it reached 
29 in 1891 out of a total of 652. There were nine graduates from 
1887 to 1891 inclusive. The general reorganization of 1891 wrought 
no material changes in this department other than joining it with 
history. The normal was reported in a flourishing condition the 
following year, with 52 students enrolled. But Professor Howell 
seems to have been more interested in history than in pedagogy, as 
he offered eleven hours of the former and only four and one-third 
of the latter. AVhile he taught 194 students in 1894 only 18 were 
taking pedagogy and 5 "normal studies." Up to 1898 there was no 
improvement. 

In the beginning seniors studied mental and moral philosophy, 
one term each. These studies, "so admirably adapted to train the 
mind and cultivate the heart," were said to "belong to the president's 
department." And unto these were added modern philosophy, what- 
ever that may have been, and evidences of Christianity. The former 
fell by the wayside in 1878, but the latter survived until 1886, when 
it perished during the interregnum. Just before this (1884-85) logic, 
which had also belonged to the "president's department," was trans- 
ferred to the professor of mathematics, and mental and moral 
philosophy departed from their ancient traditions in assuming new 
names, psychology and ethics. The Hamiltonian philosophy was in 
vogue, Alexander, Dagg, and Wayland furnished the evidences and 
the guide to conduct, and Bowen, Jevons, and Fowler guided the 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 251 

reason to logical conclusions. In 1891 six hours were devoted to all 
these subjects, two and two-thirds going to psychology, one and 
one-third to ethics, and two to logic. The time devoted to the first 
two was slightly reduced in 1897. 

In organizing the newly created department of philosophy and 
pedagogy. Professor Jordan kept the subjects more or less separate 
and distinct. In the realm of pedagogy he outlined eight courses, 
three of which dealt in some way with psychology, two with pedagogy, 
two with teaching and organization, and one with modern educational 
development, amounting in all to 21 hours. He actually taught ten 
and also eleven in philosophy, including logic. The courses in this 
subject included psychology (Hill, Ladd), elements of ethics, and the 
history of philosophy. 

When Dr. Johnson took charge of the department in 1902 he 
sought to emphasize the close relationship of psychology and pedagogy 
in the arrangement of his courses. At present he offers a course in 
the science of instruction based on psychology, one on educational 
psychology, and one on child study, besides a course on general 
psychology, abnormal psychology, one introductory to philosophy, and 
logic and ethics. School management, school economy, and the 
history of education, as well as some of the foregoing, are offered 
primarily for those looking to the L. I. certificate. Such as attain 
this are now entitled to a teacher's professional license. The amount 
of work oft'ered and given by the department in 1908-09 was 20 hours. 
The growth of the department has justified the wisdom of its 
creation. At the end of his second 3^ear Professor Jordan was able 
to report 51 students in pedagogy and 34 in philosophy, a total of 85 
out of 291 in the college and a total of 655, though only 19 were taking 
the regular normal course. Since then there has been a steady growth 
and the enrollment has jumped from 145 in 1903-04 to 310 in 1908-09. 
The number of those taking the L. 1. certificate has increased from 3 
in 1902 to 24 in 1909. Many of the normal students remain and take 
the B. A., while some B. A. students take the certificate at the same 
time that they receive their diplomas. 

The equipment of the department is thought by the present head 
to be at least three-fourths beloAV actual needs. The departmental 



252 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

library contains 600 carefully selected volumes and about $500 worth 
of apparatus in the psychological laboratory. 

Physics. 

The first definite information we have concerning instruction in 
physics is in 1878-79, when J. B. Gordon was professor of civil and 
mechanical engineering and mathematics. Under the "Departments 
of Instruction" we are informed that "natural philosophy" embraces 
"physics, mechanics and astronomy, and is postponed to the senior 
year in order that the student may have the light of the higher 
mathematics in investigating some of the problems presented." The 
class recited three times a week throughout the year. Previous to this 
year "natural philosophy" had been required of freshmen for two terms. 

The following year the department of natural science and chem- 
istry, in charge of Professor F. L. Harvey, was strengthened by the 
addition of Adjunct Professor C. P. Conrad. For that year physics 
is not mentioned in the description of courses, though "natural 
philosophy" is still included in the brief outline of courses leading 
to degrees and evidently was taught by Professor Conrad. A year 
later the course in "natural philosophy" reappears, divided into physics 
and astronomy. Freshmen studied elementary physics the last two 
terms, seniors advanced physics throughout the year, all under Pro- 
fessor Conrad. This arrangement, with certain modifications to be 
indicated, lasted until 1885. 

Professor Conrad came from the University of Virginia and had 
ideas about standards which were not then practicable in Arkansas. 
The department had practically no apparatus for experimental work. 
Besides, the professor did not think that the time allowed for the 
course admitted of this method of instruction. He used the lecture 
system very freely and then held the students to a strict account on 
examination. Ganot's text was used by the students and there was 
special work on acoustics, optics, and electricity. The result was 
failures and a petition from the students to the board. 

The only action of the board at this time was an unofficial request 
to Professor Conrad to abandon the lecture system, but the following 
year the board of visitors made an adverse report against Professor 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 253 

Conrad, declaring" that, in his zeal to secure a high degree of 
excellence in his own department, he had disregarded the rights of 
others, both professors and students. He had, they declared, 
systematically overloaded the latter, laying out work that would 
require all the hours an average student should employ in close 
study. As a result the present senior class had been greatly reduced 
and numbers driven ofif from the junior class. The trustees followed 
the suggestions of the committee and asked Professor Conrad to 
modify the course in physics and astronomy "so as to accord with 
the capacity and advancement of the students in those branches." 
After consulting with a special committee of the board Professor 
Conrad substituted "simpler, easier, text-books wherever attainable" 
and cut down his examinations one half, though he still "leaned to 
the side of the higher standard." 

Upon the reorganization of the faculty and the courses of study 
in 1885 physics was relegated to freshmen in all courses with additional 
work for sophomores in the English and general science courses. It 
was taught by J. M. Whitham, professor of applied mathematics and 
commandant of cadets, who held this position two years. Physics 
was then transferred to the department of biology and geology, in 
charge of Professor F. W. Simonds, but at the end of the year was 
handed over to the department of mechanic arts and engineering, 
in charge of Professor Whitham and Adjunct Professor W. E. 
Anderson. Two years later another change v^as made, this time for an 
alliance with chemistry, then taught by Professor A. E. Menke and 
Adjunct Professor W. B. Bentley, and this alliance was continued 
until 1904, when it was transferred to the department of electrical 
engineering and taught by Professor W. N. Gladson and Instructor H. 
Schapper. 

In 1907 for the first time physics was advanced to the dignity of a 
separate department, in charge of Associate Professor H. Schapper. 
The present incumbent. Professor G. E. Ripley, took charge in 1908. 
He has one assistant who gives a part of his time to other work. 

Some laboratory work was introduced by Professor Whitham, 
consisting in "the manufacture of new apparatus, repairing apparatus, 
the deduction of laws, and the testing of principles taught." Note 



254 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

books were required. Olmstead, Ganot, Thompson (Electricity), and 
Larden (Heat) were the authors used. The courses on heat and 
electricity were for engineering students. The total amount, including 
laboratory work, does not seem to have exceeded eight or nine hours 
previous to 1902, when it was raised to ten, all taught by Associate 
Professor Rose. Two years later, when taught by Professors Gladson 
and Schapper, this was increased half an hour and the character 
of the work was changed slightly to make it bear more upon electrical 
engineering. At the end of another year the amount reached thirteen 
and one-half hours, all now taught by Adjunct Professor Schapper, 
except a part of the course in general physics. By 1907 a preparatory 
course of three hours was required. Besides two courses in general 
physics there were courses in measurements, theoretical electricity, 
the kinetic theory of gases, thermodynamics, heat, light, mathematical 
physics, and elementary acoustics, and a journal meeting for 
advanced students. The total of all except the last and the sub- 
freshmen course was twenty-one hours, not all of which was given in 
one year. Under Professor Ripley the work has been slightly 
rearranged by giving more attention to general physics and the 
introduction of a teachers' course intended for those who intend to 
teach physics in secondary schools. Owing to the inadequacy of the 
teaching force only three courses, amounting to ten hours, can now 
be given, though more advanced work is called for by students. The 
number enrolling in the department for 1908-9 was 149. 

This department has had to move about from time to time and 
occupy such quarters as were available. In 1907 an earnest appeal 
was made to the legislature for a building, but without avail. The 
board then appropriated a small sum for a frame building as a 
temporary structure and the apparatus was moved into this. Much of 
this was old and of little practical use, though it was estimated to be 
worth $5,000. In 1908-9 $1,700 was expended for new apparatus, but 
one night in October, 1909, all of this, together with the building, 
went up in smoke without a dollar of insurance. The board then 
generously appropriated $2,000 for new apparatus to tide over until 
the legislature can be induced to provide for the department. 



THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 255 

Military Science and Tactics. 

In conformity with the act of Congress instruction in military 
tactics was furnished the first year and has been given consecutively 
ever since, though at times in a manner not altogether satisfactory to 
a military man. A uniform was prescribed for the students and in 
1874 a series of regulations was drawn up providing for the organiza- 
tion of the "Arkansas Industrial University Cadets." Drill was 
required two or three times a week. The amount of labor required of 
students by the Barker act (1887) interfered with this somewhat for 
a time, but at least the pretence of drill was kept up. For a long 
time the equipment of the department was incomplete and unsatis- 
factory, the guns in use being a lot of out-of-date weapons furnished 
by the State. In 1892 guns were secured from the federal government. 
In June, 1896, the board adopted certain regulations in regard to drill 
which are still in force. By these all male students over fifteen not 
excused for physical disability are required to drill. The drill season 
extends from October 1 to November 20 and from March 1 to the end 
of the season, the maneuvers being gone through with three days 
each week. The inspection and commencement drills have come to 
be important events in university life. 

Beginning with 1895 the cadets were taken into camp and 
remained there for a week performing the duties that pertain to an 
encampment. The first experience was satisfactory but the change 
from a winter to a summer vacation interfered with this and it was 
dropped. 

It was a matter of pride to the university and former comman- 
dants to find many of the old cadets holding commissions in the 
volunteer army in the war with Spain. 

A cadet band was organized in early days but its equipment was 
meager for many years. In 1890 the board appropriated $100 to buy 
instruments. In 1894, on motion of Trustee Mitchell, this was 
increased by $650. A band room has been fitted up and a regular 
instructor is provided. In 1909 the band was complimented by the 
inspector as being one of the best cadet bands in the United States. 

Besides giving instruction in military tactics, the commandant 
bears the chief burden of the work of discipline. Absences from 



256 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

class and infractions of rules are reported to him. In important cases 
he confers with the president and faculty. 

The following have served as professor of military science and 
tactics and commandant of cadets : Henry L. Burnwell, 1872 
Lieutenant E. S. Curtis, 1872-5; Colonel O. C. Gray, 1878-1883 
Professor J. M. Whitham, 1884-5 ; Lieutenant E. L. Fletcher, 1887-8 
Lieutenant D. R. C. Cabell, 1890-1 ; Major Robert W. Dowdy, 1892-3 
Major Elias Chandler, 1894-7; Major Wm. P. Stone, 1898; W. A. 
Ross, acting, 1898-9; J. Lyford Hornor, acting, 1899-1900; Major 
George K. Spencer, 1900-3 ; Captain Lanning Parsons, 1903-4 ; Captain 
Robert B. Powers, 1905-6; Ernest Given Howe, acting, 1906-7; Cap- 
tain Carroll F. Armistead, 1907-9; Lieutenant Robert D. Carter, 1909. 



CHAPTER VI. 



COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING. 



I. Courses of Study. 

Some work in engineering was offered in 1873-4. No requirements 
for admission were stated until 1877-8 when they were the same as 
for the classical course except in Latin. The course extended over 
four years and, reduced to the language of terms (three terms making 
a year), the following were required: Mathematics through 9 terms, 
English 4, science 15, engineering studies, mostly mechanical, 13, 
history and political science 5, philosophy 3, bookkeeping 1. There 
is nothing to indicate the length of the recitations nor the number 
per week. In 1876 more technical studies were added at the expense 
of others, the culture studies being dropped entirely from the senior 
year. In 1878 French and German were introduced into the course. 
Nothing was said of any degree until 1878, when it was announced 
that students completing the course would receive the degree of civil 
engineer (C. E.). This degree continued until 1889, when it ceased 
to be offered for undergraduate work. Since 1891 it has been offered 
for graduate work. 

The course as above outlined included a considerable amount of 
science. Later modern languages were introduced, five terms being 
required in these studies. After the reorganization effected in 1885, 
such culture studies as psychology, ethics, sociology, evidences of 
Christianity, political economy, constitutional law and calculus were 
introduced into the senior year, though the most of these were replaced 
in another year by technical subjects. 

In 1880 a course in mining was added, leading to the degree of 
mining engineering (M. E.). The requirements for admission were 
the same as in the civil engineering course. It was a four year course 
and different from the civil engineering course after freshman in the 
substitution of such branches of applied mathematics as were 
peculiarly concerned with mining and of one science for another. In 



258 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

both courses a prominent place was given to chemistry, organic, 
inorganic, and industrial. The course in mining was dropped in 1886. 

After the coming of President Edgar an attempt was made to 
strengthen the technical school, at least on the side of the published 
courses, if not immediately in the matter of teaching force. During 
the year 1885-6 the faculty carefully considered the matter and 
presented an entirely new outline to the board for their approval. 
The president declared the two courses offered, one in mechanical and 
one in civil engineering, "equal to similar courses in some of the older 
of the best institutions." The faculty thought that the vast mineral 
resources of the state called for a course in mining engineering but 
decided that it could not be offered with the limited number of 
scientific teachers then available. 

The technical courses outlined in 1886 were technical in character 
as well as in name, as the following outline will show. 



(See opposite page.) 



COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING. 



259 



1/3 O 



First Term. 



Second Term. 



Third Term. 



in 


1st 


Algebra. 


Alg. and Geom. 


Geometry. 




2nd 


Mech. Drawing, Work- 


Zoology. 


Botany. 


< 




shop Appliances. 






u 


3rd 


English. 


English. 


English. 


z 


4th 


Physics. 


Physical Labora- 


Elementary Mechanics. 


< 

K 
in 






tory Work. 




Sth 










6th 


Shop Work and Drawing. 


Shop Work and 


Shop WorkandDrawing. 


b 






Drawing. 






ISt 


Mechanical Drawing. 


Mechanical Draw- 


Mechanical Drawing. 




2nd 


Elements of Mechanism 3 


ing. 
Elementsof Mech- 


Elements of Mechanism 3 






anism 3. 




o 
s 
o 


3rd 


Geometry. 


Plane Trig. 


Trig, and Surveying. 


4th 


General Chemistry. 


General Chemis- 


General Chem. and Lab. 


X 

0-1 






try (Heat). 




o 


5th 


Electricity. 




Physical Laboratory Wk. 


C/5 


6th 


Shop Work 2. 


Shop Work 2. 


Shop Work 2. 




ISt 


Analyt. Chem. Qual. 


Analyt. Chemis- 
try Qual. 4. 






2nd 


Analytical Geometry. 


Analyt. Geometry 
and Calculus. 


Calculus. 




3rd 




Element. Applied 


Elem. Applied Mechan- 


pi 
O 

5 






Mechanics 3. 


ics. 


4th 


Machinery and Mill W'k. 


Machinery and 


Machinery and Mill Wk. 






Mill Work. 




1— > 


5th 


Steam Engine and Boilers 


Steam Engine and 
Boilers 3. 


Mineralogy. 




6th 


Drawing. 


Drawing. 


Drawing. 




ISt 


Rankine's Steam Engine 


Rankine's Steam 
Engine. 


Rankine's Steam Engine. 




2nd 


Lectures on Designing. 








3rd 


Astronomy. 


Astronomy. 


Lectures on Designing 3 


o 








Mech. and Hyd. Engi- 


t— < 








neering 2. 


4th 


Applied Mechanics, (2nd 


Applied Mechan- 


Applied Mechanics. 


CAl 




Term). 


ics. 






5th 


Ind. Chemistry, hf. term. 
Ethics, hf. term. 


Ethics and Ev. 


Christianity (in 3d term) 




6th 


Drawing. 


Drawing. 


Thesis. 



260 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

The course in civil engineering was very similar, substituting 
surveying and field work for mechanical studies and shop work. The 
degrees offered were B. M. E. and B. C. E. respectively, which have 
had a continuous existence ever since. In addition to the foregoing 
a four year mechanic arts course was offered, leading to no degree. 
It was identical with the degree courses through freshman. Besides 
technical subjects, the last year included general history and pure 
mathematics. 

The courses as thus outlined remained practically unchanged until 

1891, when a course in electrical engineering was added. All three 
were now four year courses and were identical through sophomore, 
except that a little diff'erentiation was allowed in the third term after 

1892. The lower classes were characterized by more technical work, 
five out of eighteen hours in freshman and sophomore each being of 
this kind. In junior and senior about the only subjects not technical 
were pure mathematics and astronomy, geology, chemistry and 
business law. In 1892 a little political economy was injected into the 
course in electrical engineering for some reason and kept there two 
years. The hours required for graduation were seventy-six, and the 
degree given was that of Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (B. E.E.). 
The senior year was devoted almost entirely to electrical subjects with 
the special view of preparing graduates not only to work in or manage 
light plants and electric railways, but also to design and construct 
electrical machinery. The "Course in Manual Training-'' was still 
offered. Though extending over four years it covered only the work 
of sophomore year because of lower entrance requirement. This 
course was designed to enable young men to fit themselves for a trade, 
including the management of boilers and dynamos, and to prepare 
themselves to teach in manual training schools. 

In the more dignified statement of the "Organization of the 
University" adopted in 1893. "The College of Mechanic Arts and 
Engineering" was said to offer courses in mechanical engineering, civil 
engineering, electrical engineering, manual training normal courses, 
stationary engineer's course, and a trade's course, though the last two 
did not materialize in the outlines of work until a year later and the 
manual training normal course never did. A short course (two years) 
in electrical engineering was introduced in 1894 also. At this time 



COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING. 261 

the course in manual training was styled "Mechanics Arts Course." 
The first three only led to degrees and were practically unchanged 
from the oulines already given and remained so, except for an increase 
to seventy-five in the hours required for graduation, until 1897, when 
the lower classes were separated and made slightl}^ different in the 
character of their work. At the same time the hours of work required 
for graduation were reduced to seventy exclusive of military tactics. 
Two years later they were reduced to sixty-four plus thesis, the latter 
being considered equivalent to three. An attempt was now made in 
the faculty to reduce all courses to uniformity in the amount of work 
required for admission and for graduation, but the technical faculty 
resisted this since such a rule would practically have forced them to 
require Latin for admission. However, such a rule was carried and 
they saved themselves only by appealing to the board. Because of the 
lower entrance requirements to the technical school they required 
more hours for graduation than were called for in the arts and science 
courses. 

The introduction of the elective system in the arts department 
(1902-3) brought a limited amount of free election into the engineering 
courses also, ranging from three hours in the B. E. E. to nine in the 
B. M. E., all subject to the approval of the head of the department. 
Besides this the student was allowed an option of English, French, 
German, or Spanish for three hours of language. The only constant 
arts studies common to all three courses were freshman English and 
mathematics and the optional language courses just mentioned. The 
requirements for graduation varied from sixty-four periods plus thesis 
in the B. C. E. and B. E. E., to sixty-six plus thesis in the B. M. E. 
By this time the requirements in the B. A. course had been reduced 
to sixty periods. The following year marked the revival of the 
course in mining engineering, leading to the B. M. E. degree, and the 
creation of a new one, a course in chemical engineering, leading to 
the B. Ch. E. degree. In the B. Mi. E., mathematics and English were 
both constants through freshman ; in the first there were no electives, 
in the B. Ch. E., only three hours. The requirements for graduation 
were sixty-four periods respectively. The year 1908 brought forth 
another course, leading to the degree of Bachelor of Cement 
Engineering, requiring sixty-nine and one-half periods for graduation. 



COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING. 263 

Six hours of electives were allowed. Before the degree is granted 
the candidate must spend at least six weeks in actual work at some 
plant, preferable in the vacation between junior and senior years. 

All of the foregoing- technical courses, the B. M. E., the B. C. E., 
B. E. E., B. Ch. E., B. Mi. E., and B. S. Cem. Eng., are now offered 
in the technical school. The hours required for graduation at this 
writing vary from sixty-six in B. M. E., to seventy-one in B. Ch. E. 

II. Departments of Instruction. 
Mechanical Engineering. 

A so-called course in engineering was outlined for 1873-74 and 
instruction provided in the person of General N. B. Pearce, professor 
of mathematics and engineering. Two years later he was succeeded 
by Colonel O. C. Gray, professor of mathematics and civil engineering, 
who, with the exception of one year, served in that capacity until 1879. 
For that one year, 1876-7, engineering was associated with German 
under K. Demmler, of Germany. From 1877 to 1879 there was an 
adjunct professor of civil and mechanical engineering and mathe- 
matics. Charles Waite first serving- and then J. B. Gordon. The last 
year of his service Colonel Gray was also commandant of cadets. 

The real separation of the department may be said to date from 
1880 when, on motion of Trustee Thompson, the chair of applied 
mathematics and engineering was created and J. B. Gordon was 
elected to fill it. Professor Gordon dying before the end of the year 
Professor R. E. Hardiway, of Alabama, was called by the executive 
committee to fill the chair for the rest of the year. It was then filled 
by J. D. Tradwell for one year and A. V. Lane for two, the latter 
resigning in 1884. 

Upon motion of Trustee Martin the board of visitors was requested 
to cooperate with the trustees in maturing a plan for "the inauguration 
of the mechanics and agricultural departments contemplated in the 
original creation of the university." The visitors responded by 
resolving that the time had come when the trustees should make 
provision for such instruction "as far as the means at their disposal 
will permit" and suggested that the chair of civil engineering be 
consolidated with that of mathematics. 



264 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

The board declined to follow this suggestion, created the "chair of 
applied mathematics (physics, astronomy, and engineering)," and 
elected J. M. Whitham to fill this and serve as commandant. In 
1887 he became "superintendent of mechanic arts and professor of 
engineering," in which capacity he served until 1891. His successor, 
C. V. Kerr, served under the same title until 1896 when G. M. Peek 
came in under the same title but a year later became superintendent 
of mechanic arts and professor of mechanical engineering. This 
combination was kept until 1903 when the first part was dropped, 
though the duties of the incumbent have not thereby been lessened. 
In 1898 C. E. Houghton, of Ithaca, New York, succeeded Professor 
Peek, but resigned in January, 1903, when B. N. Wilson took charge. 

Beginning with 1887, when all the engineering work was in one 
department, there was an adjunct professor and also five assistants, 
four of whom gave their time to mechanical work. After the 
separation into departments the professor of mechanical engineering 
was assisted by an adjunct professor, T. C. Treadway in 1903-4. 
Since 1905 the position has been filled by Brainerd Mitchell, now 
associate professor. There are also two other instructors now, besides 
assistants in the shops. 

As now organized the department of mechanical engineering is 
able to ofirer courses in wood, forge, foundry and machine work, 
drawing, engines (steam and gas), mechanics, machine design, 
experimental engineering, hydraulics, refrigeration, R. R. engineering, 
heating and ventilation, separated into twenty-five courses. 

In the fall of 1902, the departmental equipment was destroyed by 
fire, leaving practically nothing of value. At this time, the enrollment 
was fifteen students. In 1909, the library consisted of about 200 
useful volumes and nine regularly subscribed for periodicals ; the total 
value of the present equipment is about $20,000.00. 

The regular enrollment has increased to 35, besides which there 
was a large number of students enrolled in other courses taking 
work in this department. Four seniors selected this subject for their 
major in 1909. 



COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, 265 

Civil Engineering. 

A little civil engineering was taught from the first inception of the 
school of engineering and it was recognized in the faculty title most 
of the time until 1879. It then disappeared as a separate designation 
and did not reappear until 1891. The position of adjunct professor of 
mechanical engineering and instructor in drawing, first created in 
1887, seems to have evolved into that of adjunct professor of civil 
engineering in 1891 and was then filled by G. C. Schoff. In 1893 he 
was succeeded by J. J. Knoch, the present incumbent, who became an 
associate in 1894 and full professor in 1898. The definite separation 
of the department took place in 1897. 

Student assistants were provided in 1900 and these were followed 
by an instructor. In 1905 V. P. Knott was elected associate professor 
of civil engineering and two years later L. B. Shaver was added as 
adjunct professor. He was succeeded by P. L. Huntley in 1909. 

The department of civil engineering offers courses in surveying 
extending over three years embracing land surveying, leveling, 
topography, and railroad reconnoissance and triangulation and 
geodosy in the senior 3''ear. Considerable time is spent in the field 
throughout the year and one week is spent in camp. Besides the 
above there are courses in masonry construction, roofs and bridges, 
sanitary and water-works engineering. The total work offered now 
amounts to 27 hours, given in 15 courses, all of which were called for 
in 1908-9. 

From 1903 to 1907 the department received special appropriations 
amounting to $9,000. The value of the laboratory, instruments, and 
other equipment is now estimated at $10,600, practically all of which 
has been added since 1893. The library numbers 700 volumes. 

The attendance in the department has risen from 40 in 1901-2 to 
61 in 1908-9. In 1893 four seniors selected civil engineering as their 
major subject; 1908-9 there were 11. 

Electrical Engineering. 

As far back as 1886 a little "electricity" was taught, probably as 
a part of physics. Electrical engineering appears for the first time 
in 1888, seniors in the M. E. and C. E. courses pursuing that subject 



266 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

through the third term. An instructor was provided in 1891 with 
the rank of adjunct professor and the place was first held by H. B. 
Smith. He was succeeded in two years by W. E. Goldsborough. In 
1894 W. N. Gladson became associate professor of electrical engineer- 
ing. In 1897 the department of electrical engineering was created and 
he became its head, but was not made a full professor until 1898. 

In 1900 an adjunct professorship was created, held first by W. A. 
Treadway and later (1904-5) by H. Schapper in connection with 
physics. L. S. Olney became associate professor in 1906 and still 
holds this position. The position of assistant, first created in 1904, 
was raised to the rank of an adjunct professorship in 1908 and was 
given to V. A. Harding, who was succeeded by W. B. Stelzner in 1909. 

In 1894 only eleven hours were offered in electrical engineering. 
Now there are thirty-one, all of which were called for in 1908-9. 
Practically all the work in electrical engineering proper is done in the 
junior and senior years. The general design of the course is to 
familiarize the student with power plants, street railway operation, 
and telephony and telegraphy. Four different courses of two hours 
each are devoted to drawing with special reference to designing of 
electrical machinery. The class room work in theoretical electricity 
is practically illustrated in the laboratory. The enrollment of students 
has grown from 7 collegiate and 12 preparator}^ in 1893 to 87 in 1908-9. 
Three seniors selected this subject for their major in 1908-9 and there 
was one graduate student in this department. 

Since 1897 the department has received special appropriations 
ranging from $2,000 to $5,305, amounting in all to $20,665. This has 
been expended mainly for laboratory equipment, furniture, fixtures, 
books, and supplies. The present value of the laboratory equipment is 
about $15,000, but is not adequate to present needs. The library 
comprises 178 bound volunjes, 980 unbound, and 250 pamphlets. 
Fourteen periodicals devoted exclusively to engineering are regularly 
received. 

This department has rendered service to the people outside the 
instruction furnished in the class room. It has begun a survey of the 
water power of the state and had examined the White River as far 
down as Buffalo Shoal and the North Fork up to Henderson. The 
work will be continued during- the summer vacations. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 



L Or(;anization and Courses of Study. 

The colles^e of as.'TicnItnre, beginning in the protoplasm, finally 
evolved, after many struggles, into an institution recognizable under 
that name. The story of its evolution is so closely interwoven with 
that of the agricultural course of study that the two will be treated 
together. 

At the very organization of the university the board unanimously 
resolved (October 18, 1871) that the executive committee and the 
committee on grounds and buildings should "give especial attention 
to the creation and as full development of the agricultural and 
mechanical departments of the university as the funds will allow 
without detriment to the normal department therein, it being the 
chief object of the Arkansas Industrial University to educate in 
agriculture and the mechanic arts." But the chief object was post- 
poned imtil a more convenient season. The first catalogue and circulars 
merely announced that a full course in agriculture would be prescribed 
next year, the unexpected difficulty in securing the agricultural college 
script being given as the cause of the delay. 

In fulfillment of the foregoing promise a four-year course was 
outlined. Reduced to the basis of a subject studied one term of 
approximately three months, sixty-one such term studies were 
required. Of this work fully one third of it was of a distinctly 
agricultural type, embracing such subjects as manual of farm, practical 
agriculture, horticulture, mechanical treatment of the soils, stock 
breeding, propagation of plants, and rural architecture, and another 
third was of closely allied subjects, such as geology, chemistry, etc. 
Mathematics and a little English and history made up a remainder 
of the first three years. The fourth year contained a liberal sprinkling 
from the culture studies of the senior year in the classical course, 
embracing such studies as mental and moral philosophy, political 



268 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

economy, history of civilization, constitutional law and current history. 
No conditions were prescribed for admission, but evidently the student 
must be ready to begin algebra. 

This was altogether in harmony with the resolution of the board, 
passed in January, 1872, that the memorial to Congress in regard to the 
script should "convey the idea that the agricultural and mechanical 
departments may appear very prominent in connection with the idea 
of the normal department." So also was the announcement that a 
farm had been secured, and that the entire crop had been raised by 
student labor "under the supervision of the faculty." Work was 
voluntary, was compensated at the rate of five to fifteen cents per hour. 
There is no indication that it was intended to serve primarily as a 
part of an agricultural education. Rather it was intended to enable 
students to pay their way. 

The course was prescribed, the farm had been purchased, and the 
agricultural college script secured, but agricultural education did not 
flourish. Another explanation must be found and it was discovered 
in the general educational conditions. At the time the university was 
founded "so great was and still is the demand throughout the State 
for general education, that the university rapidly came and from 
necessity to assume, in part, the form of an institution for general 
instructions." The law has provided for a normal department, "which 
it becomes our duty to develop, nevertheless. 'Agricultural and 
Mechanical Arts' will receive the full attention that the acts of 
congress contemplates, when many of the young men, admitted into 
the institution, and who are the sons of farmers, shall have become 
more thoroughly grounded in the rudiments of general knowledge, the 
special training for mechanical and agricultural life then beginning.' " 

A year later the board seemed to think the time to make this 
beginning had arrived and issued the order, already recited in con- 
nection with the B. A. course, that all beneficiaries, except normals, 
should take a course in agriculture and mechanics, with permission to 
take such other subjects as circumstances would allow. However, at 
the expiration of another year the executive committee of the board 
stated that most of the beneficiaries were preparatory students, hence 
not qualified to take the agricultural course. 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 269 

In 1877 Latin, French and German were introduced as optional 
studies, but at the end of the year Latin was dropped out. General 
history was replaced by English diction, rhetoric by physiology, and 
political economy, moral philosophy, the constitution of the United 
States and history of civilization were replaced in the senior year by 
industrial chemistry, physics, current ag^ricultural topics and a thesis. 
Within a year rhetoric was restored. All these changes seemed to 
have been made by the faculty without any interference on the part of 
the board. 

For the first time a statement was now made of the requirements 
for admission and they were said to be the same as for admission to 
the classical course with the exception of Latin. In another year this 
was changed to the course in science, with the exception of French. 

So far as one might perceive the course in agriculture was its own 
reward, for up to this time no mention was made of any degree. But 
now (1879) the student could look forward to becoming a Bachelor 
of Agriculture. 

It should be remembered that, with the exception of 1872-3, there 
had never been any professor of agriculture. For one year that 
position was held by Richard Thurston, M. D. But this condition 
was not wholly due to indifference on the part of the university 
authorities, though it perhaps did show the relative importance which 
they attached to the different courses. They freely confessed "that 
while important branches relating to agriculture and the mechanic 
arts" had been taught at the university from year to year, little had 
been done in the advancement of practical knowledge of those subjects. 
Down to 1884 the instruction had not gone beyond a "knowledge of 
plants, the analysis of the soils, minerals and a practical knowledge of 
chemistry." This was explained by the president and the board as 
due to insufficient legislative appropriations, though the legislature 
had been urged to grant such appropriations ever since the founding 
of the university. The board asked the legislature of 1885 for $15,000. 
The joint committee appointed to visit the university spoke of the 
agricultural and mechanical departments as practically non-existent 
and recommended the appropriation of $10,000 for the agricultural 
and a like sum for the mechanical department, but their recommenda- 



270 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

tion came to naught, though the management of the university was 
freely criticized in and out of legislative halls. 

Somewhat discouraged but not disheartened President Edgar now 
took up the matter with the board. He recited that the land grant 
colleges which united theoretical with practical instructions in 
agriculture and mechanic arts were doing the most good and had 
the largest attendance. He therefore recommended the appropriation 
of $5,000 out of the funds available to advance agricultural and 
mechanical studies, mainly the former. The board increased the 
facilities for instruction in biology and general chemistry and 
authorized the professor of chemistry to put the farm in better 
condition. 

The so-called agricultural course was now (1886) given the 
prominence of first place in the catalogue. However, as there was no 
professor of agriculture, it is hardly necessary to add that the course 
was not particularly strong on that subject. The course, which 
extended over four years, began with English grammar, arithmetic, 
geography, and practical agriculture or shop work and ended with 
psychology (lectures), ethics, political science, trigonometry, agricul- 
tural chemistry, lectures on entomology and veterinary science, 
breeding, feeding, and marketing stock, and farm implements and 
products. On completing this course the student was given the 
distinction of graduate in agriculture. Two more years on technical 
and cultural studies entitled him to the B. A., but this was changed 
to B. S. the next year. Still no student asked for the course. 

The next legislature proved more responsive, appropriating $8,000 
for the agricultural department and giving general direction about 
the constitution of the faculty and course of study so as to favor 
agriculture and mechanics. A still further premium was put upon 
work in this department by making tuition free while tuition must be 
paid by all taking the classical course. 

The next catalogue states that the "board of trustees and faculty 
of the institution, aware of the necessities of the state and fully in 
accord with the policy outlined by the legislature, have done all in 
their power, in laying out the appropriation and drawing up the 
course of study, to meet the wants, both of the mass of the State, as 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. J?! 

well as of the minority also in a subsidiary way. We are fully 
persuaded that the agricultural courses here offered and the facilities 
afforded by the legislative appropriation will enable us to turn out 
graduates in these departments that will compare favorably with those 
of any other school." 

The course on which this claim was based extended over six years 
and led to the degree of pjachelor of Scientific Agriculture (B. S. A.). 
The first two years were preparatory and contained no agriculture 
whatever. One recitation a week in elocution was required through 
freshman and sophomore. The distinctly agricultural work was about 
the same as tliat offered heretofore. No professor of agriculture had 
been supplied, though a year later the professor of chemistry was 
denominated superintendent of agriculture and he was assisted by an 
adjunct professor of chemistry and agriculture, and at the expiration 
of another year still another assistant was added with the same title 
and also a full professor of biology and geology. A "short" course, 
extending over four years and leading to no degree, was added in 
1888. It differed from the long course in that agricultural studies 
were begun the second year. In addition the Barker act of 1887 
required each male student to work three hours each school day in the 
field or shop. For this the board allowed three cents per hour and 
later raised this to five. 

The fact that the short course led to no degree led Professor 
Menke, superintendent of agriculture, to think that this put it at a 
disadvantage and he recommended that it be put on a par with the 
normal course by granting a diploma but not degree. This would 
please the newspapers and the public who were continually asking 
"How many graduates in agriculture have you?" and would do no 
harm. 

At this juncture a word should be said about the farm. A part 
of the land secured when a site for the university was purchased 
seems to have been used as a farm and H. C. C. Botefiihr, one of the 
first trustees, took charge as superintendent until March 3, 1873. It 
was then put in charge of the president until the arrival of Professor 
T. L. Thompson. Upon his death in the spring of 1875 it was turned 
over to one of the students. 



272 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

There were four acres in orchard and some additional cleared land 
which was planted to corn and other crops. As first conducted the 
design seems to have been as much to give labor to students as to 
furnish demonstrations of scientific farming. It was conducted at a 
ioss. For the year 1874-75 the expenditures were $436.68, the receipts 
from sales $308.50. There were, however, a few permanent improve- 
ments included in the former sum. Two years later the expenditures 
were $419.20, the receipts $27.70. For the year ending June 1, 1884 
the expenditures were $559.81 ; receipts, $18.76. 

During this time the farm seems to have been going from bad 
to worse. In 1887 Prof. Menke reported that he found three acres in 
orchard, three acres in cultivation, forty acres on which the timber had 
been cut, part of a stone wall, "a pair of antediluvian mules and a 
tumble-down shed." The orchard and the three acres in cultivation 
were fenced. The orchard probably was the result of the labors of 
Professor Purinton who, the year before had set out a lot of fruit 
trees and small fruits, which were presented to the farm by Mr. Gill, 
of Springdale. President Edgar had stated that $20,000 was needed to 
buy additional lands, build farm houses, buy tools and stock and 
build a daify. He also wanted $5,000 for student labor, stating that 
one reason why there were so few students in agriculture was that 
the instruction was all theoretical. 

The senate committee of 1889 which visited the university strongly 
urged the purchase of the Gregg place (400 acres), which, it was 
believed, could be secured for $14,000 and this was backed up by the 
station people, but the question was complicated by factional quarrels 
and the legislature failed to seize a splendid opportunity. In spite of 
such handicaps, some advances were made. Crops of wheat, corn, 
potatoes, and mangolds were planted with satisfactory results, a dairy 
was built, and special attention was given to the dairy herd. The 
Hereford and Holstein cattle swept off eleven first prizes at Springfield, 
Missouri, in competition with Missouri and Kansas cattle. 

With these advantages in the way of farm and dairy, compulsory 
labor, and tuition required in the arts and science courses, the 
agricultural department shows signs of becoming a reality. Previous 
to 1887-8 there were no students catalogued as taking- the agricultural 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 273 

course. That year the number was 48, the following year, 70, and in 
1890, 66. 

The faculty found objections to so much compulsory labor and 
induced the legislature of 1891 to reduce the hours from three in all 
classes to two in all below sophomore. At the same time the 
requirement of tuition from beneficiaries taking- arts and science 
courses was abolished. The "School of Agriculture" now makes its 
appearance, consisting- of the "Experiment Station" and the Farmers' 
Course." The policy of the present management was said to be to 
"unite practice with theory." The six year course was quietly dropped 
and with it the B. S. A. degree. The short course also disappears, 
being replaced by a two year "Farmers' Course for Certificate in 
Agriculture." The first year consisted of three hours of biology, three 
of English, four of physics and five of mathematics. In the second 
year the requirements were three and one third hours of general 
chemistry and eleven and two thirds hours of purely agricultural 
studies, all specified. Students completing this course were allowed 
to take junior and senior in the college of science and graduate with 
the B. S. Special attention was directed to the facilities for teaching 
dairying. 

It will be interesting to study the agricultural faculty at this 
stage in the development of the school. It consisted of a professor of 
chemistry, of biology and geology, of mathematics, of military science 
and tactics, of English, an adjunct professor of chemistry, the 
veterinarian of the experiment station, and the foreman and assistant 
foreman of the farm. 

For some reason the enrollment fell ofif exactly fifty per cent, 
reaching only 33 in 1891, though it was 49 in 1892. The board then 
began to devise means of bolstering up the department and began by 
ofifering a prize of $25.00 for the best five pounds of butter made by 
a student at the dairy, $15.00 for the second best, and $10.00 for the 
third best. However, this seems to have stimulated the wrong way, 
for next year (1893) the enrollment fell to 27. Trustee Mitchell then 
moved that three of the agricultural faculty be requested to formulate 
a plan by which students could be encouraged to enter the agricultural 
department and remain until they completed the course. What they 
recommended is not known to the writer, but a few weeks later, on 



274 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

motion of Mr. Mitchell, three prizes of $50.00, $30.00, and -$20.00 were 
offered for the best essays on subjects relating- to horticulture, the 
essays to be read at commencement. That year (1894) there was a 
slight increase, 33 enrolling, though only three were in college classes. 
But this was better than any other southern college had done, except 
one, and was one in excess of the collegiate students in the long 
agricultural course at the University of Wisconsin. 

These and other facts led President Buchanan to make the follow- 
ing remarks on the agricultural department in his biennial report to 
the board : "The farming interests of our country are now, and for 
sometime have been, experiencing great depression, and therefore in 
view of their importance, which is second to no other interest, are 
entitled to whatever aid the most friendly legislation or any kind of 
educational training can render it. But this very department tends 
to divert students from, rather than attract them to, an agricultural 
school. The simple fact is that there is quite a limited demand for 
instruction in the science and art of farming. But it may be plausibly 
argued that the demand for such instruction will be in some measure 
proportionate to the thoroughness of the equipment and the utility of 
the course offered. Admitting this, the question is what can be done 
to enlarge the advantages offered by the department of agriculture in 
the university? He answers this question by suggesting experiments 
to exemplify the best methods of general farming and dairying, and 
that provisions be made for horticulture and fruit culture. Six years 
before Professor Purinton, then superintendent of agriculture, 
thought that the comparative failure of the department was due to the 
lack of funds and the "inherent unpopularity of this course of study 
growing out of its association with the idea of manual labor." 
Professor Menke, then superintendent of agriculture, thought that 
farmers' institutes, where the farmers could meet in an intimate way 
the men connected with the institution, would do more than anything 
else to dispel the prejudice against agricultural instruction and 
increase the patronage. Four of these had been held the preceding 
year, three of which were reported as highly successful. 

In view of these facts it is not surprising that the president asked 
for only $800.00 for the agricultural department with an additional 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 275 

amount not specified to buy Jersey cattle and that the legislature 
responded by giving- $600.00 for the farm. 

The decline in attendance continued. In the short session of 1895 
there were only 23 agricultural students, and in 1895-96 only 16, all 
preparatory in both cases. The total attendance for the same time was 
for the short session 259 collegiate and 471 preparatory and for 1895-96, 
196 collegiate and 355 preparatory. In 1896-97 there was one 
agricultural student in the college grade and none so marked in the 
preparatory. 

By this time the "School of Agriculture" has disappeared, its place 
being taken by the "Department of Agriculture." This had four 
sub-departments, that of agriculture in charge of R. L. Bennett, 
horticulture in charge of J. T. Stinson, agricultural chemistry and 
meteorology in charge of G. L. Teller, and animal pathology and 
bacteriology in charge of R. R. Dinwiddie. This stafif was identical 
with that of the experiment station. The B. S. A. degree was restored, 
based on a four-year course. The following year (1897-98) this 
degree was offered on two different courses, one based on agri- 
culture and the other on horticulture. Instruction in the four 
departments named above was offered until 1900, when the last two 
were dropped. Agriculture was now treated as simply a special 
department in the university. There were courses with a little 
agriculture and horticulture leading to the B. S., or the B. S. A., if still 
more work was presented in these subjects. 

When C. L. Newman became superintendent and professor of 
agriculture in 1897 he found the farm run down and out of repair and 
no funds for improvement. Fully half of it he pronounced unfit for 
cultivation and of little use for pasture because of the steep hills and 
the stony nature of the soil. However, he undertook the improvements 
and by 1902 had accomplished much in the way of terracing hills, 
removing stones, providing pastures and erecting buildings. The 
announcement had been made some years before that students would 
not be required to labor on the farm except so far as demonstration 
work was necessary. 

The department was now taking on new life and began to attract 
some students. By the close of the year of 1904-05 there were ten 



276 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

collegiate students taking the regular B. S. A. course, besides others 
electing a small amount of work, and ten sub-freshmen taking some 
work in agriculture. The total enrollment was 116, of whom 71 
were taking horticulture. In another year the total number taking 
some sort of agricultural work was 200. 

In 1905 Colonel W. G. Vincenheller, the director of the experiment 
station, went to Little Rock and laid the claims of the station before 
Senator W. P. Fletcher, requesting his influence for the passage of a 
bill giving suitable maintenance funds. Now it happened that Senator 
Fletcher was a progressive man, fully awake to some of the educational 
needs of the State, and he agreed to help the station people, if they 
in turn would agree to a bill providing for a wider usefulness on the 
part of the station. To this they readily assented and a bill was 
passed appropriating $35,500 for buildings and maintenance and 
directing that instruction be provided in "practical agriculture, horti- 
culture, entomology, veterinary and kindred subjects." 

Steps were at once taken to organize the College of agriculture 
and it soon made its appearance with a regular faculty composed, for 
the most part, of the station people. Indeed, only one member of the 
faculty, the professor of agriculture, was not a member of the station 
stafif. Regular courses of study were outlined in agricultural chem- 
istry, agronomy, animal husbandry, dairy husbandry, entomology, 
horticulture, and veterinary science. In the reorganization the old 
department of agriculture, held by Professor G. A. Cole since 1904, had 
been replaced by the department of agronomy. This arrangement con- 
tinued until 1907, when an eighth department was added, agriculture, 
in charge of Professor Cole, the department of agronomy being turned 
over to the agriculturist of the experiment station. This, which is now 
called the department of agricultural education, is still the only chair 
not connected with the station. In 1909 an effort was made to bring 
about a closer relation in farm as well as in practice between the 
agricultural college and the station, and the general oversight of both 
was confided to C. F. Adams as dean and director of the College of 
Agriculture and Experiment Station. 

Besides the collegiate course of four years leading to the degree 
of B. S. A., there was a short course covering two vears, leading to a 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 277 

certificate only, to which students were admitted at the discretion of 
the professor in charge of each subject for which he applied. This 
short course has since been reduced to a term of eight weeks each 
year. There was also a short winter course of two weeks intended for 
those already engaged in farming. The short winter course was 
recommended as early as 1896 by Professor Menke, but nine years 
passed before it was realized. He declared that the four and two 
year courses here, as everywhere else, were failures, but that the short 
course was slowly becoming successful. It is now well known that 
it has been used to build up the longer courses in other institutions. 
It is still offered at the University of Arkansas and is attracting some 
attention among the farmers, but no great things have as yet resulted 
from it. 

II. Departments of Instruction. 

Agricultur.\l Education. 

Ever since the founding of the university there has been at least 
a pretence of instruction in agriculture, though the department has 
had a somewhat uncertain existence. As noted elsewhere the depart- 
ment of chemistry carried this department for many years, the head 
of this department being denominated at the same time superintendent 
of agriculture. In 1894, when Professor Menke was superintendent, 
the name of W. F. Bates appears as instructor in agriculture. 'Appar- 
ently this is the first time when any man was supposed to devote his 
entire time to the subject. In 1896, for the first time, the superintendent 
has no other duties, the place being held at that time by R. L. Bennett. 
At the end of one year he was succeeded by C. L. Newman, who 
assumed the title professor of agriculture in 1902. In 1904 he was 
succeeded by G. A. Cole. The department of agriculture then dis- 
appears in name, being replaced by that of agronomy, but reappears 
in 1907. In February, 1908, R. J. Nelson succeeded Professor Cole 
as professor of agriculture and served until December, 1909, when 
he resigned and the department, which had been renamed the depart- 
ment of agricultural education in June, was left in charge of Adjunct 
Professor J. M. Wilson. 

Down to 1884 the instruction in agriculture had not proceeded 
beyond a "knowledge of plants, the analysis of the soils, minerals and 



278 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

a practical knowledge of chemistr}'.'" Two years later the so-called 
agTicultiiral course was given tirst place in the catalogue, but there 
was nothing- about any course in agriculture in the "Outline of 
Studies." Two years later still we learn that the superintendent gave 
instruction in the reclamation of land, clearing, stumping, etc., ; in the 
selection of farms for special purposes ; rotation in crops : buildings ; 
implements and machinery ; preparation of the soil, preparation of 
manu^es and composts ; improvement of lands ; roots (tubers) ; green 
fodders, etc. ; and agricultural chemistry. 

Not until 1903 were definite courses announced and outlined as in 
other departments. Then a three-hour course was oifered in soils 
and farm crops, a two-hour course in farm buildings, machinery and 
animals, a two-hour course in rural economy and experiments, and a 
four-hour course in special farming with special reference to live 
stock and grain. These courses remained unchanged until 1908, except 
that a three-hour course in irrigation and drainage w^as added in 1906 
and a three-hour course in "advanced agriculture" in 1907. In 1908 
these courses were rearranged and somewhat extended and a course 
in bookkeeping and farm accounts was added. In addition, courses 
were ofifered in horticulture, soils, and school gardening for the benefit 
of students taking the normal course. At present the department 
oft'ers an elementary course in agriculture (3) and one in bookkeeping 
and farm accounts and rural law (1), both of which are required of 
freshmen. For students of collegiate grade a course in general agri- 
culture and school gardening (3), farm mechanics and farm manage- 
ment (2\ and rural economics (IV 

As late as 1902 the superintendent of agriculture complained that 
no recitation room had been provided for classes in agriculture and 
that this and other conditions had deterred students from taking the 
course. The erection of the Agricultural Building in 1905 obviated 
this difliculty. The following year 21 students were reported. The 
number enrolled during the year 1908-1909 was 148. 

Horticulture. 

This department shows signs of waking into a separate existence 
in 1894, when Jerome McNeil was styled professor of horticulture. 
However, closer observation reveals the fact that he was also professor 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 279 

of biology and geology and that this was his main business. In 1896 
J. T. Stinson was designated horticulturist and was supposed to 
devote all his time to the subject. In 1897 the department was 
recognized by the board. January, 1900, Professor Stinson was 
succeeded by Ernest Walker. From 1905 to 1909 he was assisted by 
J. L. Hewitt. 

Back in the old days when the superintendent of agriculture looked 
after everything, instruction was offered in the preparation of soils, 
management of plants, horticultural implements, methods of obtaining 
new varieties, flower and kitchen gardening, nurseries and orchards, 
and greenhouses. Even now the instruction is hardly more compre- 
hensive, but is much more systematized and more intensive. The 
courses outlined in 1896 related to propagation of plants and vegetable 
gardening (3), fruit culture and landscape gardening (3), forestry and 
plant breeding (2). In 1903 a course on horticultural literature and 
special work and reports was added. At present the courses relate 
to plant physiology (3), fruit culture (3), horticultural structures and 
implements (2), plant propagation and plant growing, small fruits 
and vegetable gardening, special work and practice, horticultural 
literature, forestry (2), landscape gardening, greenhouse methods and 
forcing, floriculture (2), commercial pomology (2). and the evolution 
of cultivated plants and plant breeding. 

During the year 1899-1900, 3 students were enrolled. In 1905-06 
the number reached 44. At times since then it has gone above 100. 

Veterinary Science. 

Some instruction in this subject appears to have been offered as 
early as 1886, but this department first appeared in 1896 in connection 
with bacteriology and was then put in charge of R. R. Dinwiddie. In 
1900 it disappeared from the agricultural school, but reappeared in 
1905. In 1906 W. Lenton was added as adjunct professor and upon 
the transfer of Dr. Dinwiddie to the department of animal husbandry 
in 1907, he was made full professor and put in charge of the depart- 
ment. 

At first a three-hour course was offered in anatomy and physiology 
of domestic animals, and the physiology of animal nutrition and 
reproduction, and also a three-hour course in bacteriology and hygiene 



280 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

and farm and stable hygiene. Upon the reappearance of the department 
in 1905 a general course was offered in the essential branches of 
veterinary science for students in agriculture, consisting of lectures, 
recitations and practical exercises ; also courses in anatomy, physi- 
ology, hygiene, and general veterinary pathology and in special 
veterinary pathology, dealing with diseases and their treatment. At 
present the department offers two courses, differing but slightly from 
the work indicated above. 

Animal Husbandry. 

Some work of this character seems to have been offered by 
Professor Menke as far back as 1888, but it was soon dropped. The 
department came into being in 1905 with R. W. Wade in charge. In 
1907 he was succeeded by R. R. Dinwiddie, who was assisted by A. K. 
Short. The retirement of Dr. Dinwiddie in 1909 left Professor Short 
in charge of the department. 

The courses oft'ered b}^ Professor Wade were : Judging cattle and 
live stock (1), study of breeds and commercial cattle (1), principles 
of judging and breeding farm animals (1), principles of feeding (1), 
judging of stock and of breeds and pedigrees (1), and feed and feeding 
(1). Practically the same courses are offered now. 

Entomology. 

The year 1905 also witnessed the creation of this department, 
though some instruction in entomology appears to have been offered 
as early as 1886. When made a separate department it was put in 
charge of C. F. Adams, the present incumbent. When he became 
director of the experiment station (1909) it became necessary to add 
an assistant and Paul Hayhurst was elected to this position. Courses 
are offered in general entomolog}^, consisting of work on anatomy, 
physiology, metamorphosis, classification, and habits of insects ; 
advanced entomology (3) ; systematic entomology (3) ; advanced 
economic entomology (3), insect bionomics (3), and research work. 

Agricultural Chemistry. 

In the earlv days the department of chemistry furnished whatever 
instruction was furnished in agricultural chemistry. In 1905 J. H. 
Norton took charge of the newly created department of agricultural 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 281 

chemistry. In 1908 he was succeeded by W. M. Bruce, who is assisted 
by H. D. Youngs as adjunct professor. 

A three-hour course is offered in soil physics and a six-hour course 
in agricultural chemistry. 

Agronomy. 

The department of agronomy makes its first appearance in 1905, 
when it temporarily replaces the department of agriculture, of which 
it really was an offshoot. It was then in charge of G. A. Cole. Two 
years later he reverted to agriculture for a name and C. P. Norgord 
was put in charge of the department of agronomy, with W. S. Jacobs 
as assistant. In 1908 Professor Norgord resigned and was succeeded 
by Martin Nelson. 

The courses first offered were : Soil physics, soil management, 
farm crops, and thesis work. In addition to these courses two are now 
offered in agronomy. 

Dairying. 

Some sort of instruction in dairying was offered previous to 1905, 
but the department of dairying was created then and put in charge 
of V. A. Hooper. Since 1907 he has been assisted by Adjunct Pro- 
fessor C. H. Tourgee. 

The department offers instruction in dairying (4), dairy cattle (3), 
the dairy herd (3), the city milk supph^ (2), milk testing (2), butter 
making (5), cheddar cheese (5), dairy manufactures (4), scoring butter 
and cheese (1), and investigation and thesis work. 

The number of students is not large, but the present enrollment 
is the best in the history of the institution. In 1905-06 there were 
only 6. 

The department pays special attention to butter and cheese making 
and also sells milk to the citizens of Fayetteville. As the herd was not 
sufficient for all purposes, the department began buying milk and 
cream from farmers in September, 1906, for use in butter and cheese 
making, as well as for student work. That month there was but one 
patron, and he sold not quite five dollars' worth of milk. This patron 
is still selling to the department and his monthly bill now runs over 
$125.00. During the year 1907 the department paid out to all patrons 
about $4,130.00; during 1908, $4,800.00; and during 1909, $8,700.00. 



282 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

During the first few months after starting this work there were five 
patrons ; now there are forty-five, and the number will probably be 
one hundred before the middle of the coming summer. 

The department has encouraged the growth of industry by paying 
high prices for milk and cream from the start, in order to offset the 
low production per cow, which is characteristic of this State. It is 
now seeking to improve the herds by the use of pure-bred males and 
by testing these herds so that the unprofitable ones may be discarded. 
Development was slow at the start, but the industry is now on a 
safe footing and the prediction is made that eventually the dairy 
industry will become a close second to the fruit industry of the State. 

When the new Dairy Building was ready for operation, the 
equipment consisted of just that which was absolutely necessary, and 
much of this was loaned or donated by the manufacturers. Since that 
time new equipment has been added as rapidly as funds would allow 
and now it is fairly complete. During the past summer, a refrigerator 
plant and new and up-to-date ripeners and coolers were installed. 

The dairy herd is composed entirely of Jerseys and Jersey grades, 
as the department has neither the money nor land necessary for the 
purchase and maintenance of herds of the different dairy breeds. 
Accurate records have been kept of every animal in the herd, these 
being obtained by weighing and sampling each milking and testing 
these samples monthly, the results being entered in a permanent 
record book. There are individuals in this herd that are producing 
over 7,000 pounds of milk and butter-fat, equivalent to over four 
hundred pounds of butter per year. 

Plant Pathology. 

The newest creation in the line of regular instruction is the depart- 
ment of plant pathology, which was created in 1909 and put in charge 
of Professor J. L. Hewitt, who was transferred from the department 
of horticulture. 

Farmers' Institute. 

Back in the nineties an experiment was made in holding farmers' 
institutes as a means of arousing interest in agricultural education, 
but with no striking results. A few years ago the work was resumed. 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 283 

and in 1909 Professor G. A. Cole was employed to take charge of this 
work. This department, properly speaking, should be classed as 
extension work. It is new, but great possibilities lie out before it. 

The specialist will at once detect that some of the departments 
outline more instruction than they are able to give with the present 
force, especially when a part of the time must be devoted to research 
work for the station. The departments themselves recognize this 
fact and they do not attempt to give it all, but the work is outlined 
to call attention to its need and in the hope that adequate help will 
soon be provided. 

II. The Experiment Station. 

March 2, 1887, President Cleveland signed a bill hardly second in 
importance to the Morrill bill which was signed a quarter of a century 
earlier by President Lincoln. It was the Hatch* bill, which provided 
funds to support, and directed the organization of, research and 
experimental work in agriculture. 

The purpose of the act was said to be "to aid in acquiring and 
diffusing among the people of the United States useful and practical 
information on subjects connected with agriculture, and to promote 
scientific investigation and experiment respecting the principles and 
applications of agricultural science." In furtherance of this end it 
provided for the establishment of agricultural experiment stations 
under the direction of the land-grant colleges and directed such 
stations "to conduct original researches or verify experiments on the 
physiology of plants and animals; the diseases to which they are 
severally subject, with the remedies of the same; the chemical 
composition of useful plants at their different states of growth ; the 
comparative advantages of rotative cropping as pursued under a 
varying series of crops, the capacity of new plants or trees for 
acclimation; the analysis of soils and water; the chemical composition 
of manures, natural or artificial, with experiments designed to test 
their comparative effects on crops of different kinds, the adaptation 
and value of grasses and forage plants ; the composition and digesti- 



*Wm. H. Hatch was born in Kentucky, 1833. He practiced law in Missouri and became a circuit 
judge. In the Civil War he sided with the South, rising to the rank of adjutant general. After the 
war he served several terms in congress as a representative from Missouri. In congress he showed 
great interest in measures for the development of agriculture, and is known as the father of the 
experiment station law. He died in 1896. 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 285 

bility of tlie different kinds of food for domestic animals ; the scientific 
and economic questions involved in the production of butter and 
cheese ; and such other researches or experiments bearing directly on 
the agricultural industry of the United States as may in each case be 
deemed advisable, having due regard to the varying conditions and 
needs of the respective states or territories." To secure uniformity 
of methods the commissioner (now secretary) of agriculture was made 
the head of the system. The stations were required to make reports 
of progress in the form of bulletins at least once every three months, 
and provision was made for the transmission of these bulletins by 
the United States mail free of charge. The act provided for an annual 
appropriation of $15,000 to carry out its designs. Of the first appro- 
priation, not more than one-fifth could be used for building purposes, 
and of subsequent appropriations not exceeding five per cent. An 
act approved March 16, 1906, and known as the Adams bill, provided 
an additional sum of $5,000 for that year and an annual increase of 
$2,000 until the total reached $30,000. The amount due the station 
from the federal government for 1910 is $28,000. 

The state has not been very liberal toward the station, though in 
recent years it has begun to wake up to its importance. The 
legislature of 1905 appropriated $35,000 for the station and the College 
of Agriculture, of which $17,000 was set aside for buildings. In 1907, 
$35,200 was appropriated and in 1909 the legislature voted $55,900, but, 
on account of the depleted condition of the treasury, the governor 
vetoed items until only $36,900 was left. 

Advantage was soon taken of the provisions of the Hatch bill and 
the experiment station was immediately organized, February 17, 1888. 
A brick building was erected at a cost of $4,000, and it was supplied 
with apparatus and material at an additional cost of $4,100, all of 
which was paid for out of federal funds, though the law said that not 
more than one-fifth of the first appropriation could be used for building 
purposes. Branch stations were also established at Jonesboro, Pine 
Bluff, and Texarkana. The last has been discontinued and the second 
has been moved to Newport. 



286 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

The first staff was as follows : 

A. E. Menke Director. 

William Trelease Consulting Botanist. 

S. S. Twombly Chemist and Vice-Director. 

F. W. Simonds Biologist. 

S. H. Crossman Entomologist. 

C. W. Woodworth* Entomologist. 

E. H. Richman Horticulturist. 

R. R. Dinwiddle Veterinarian. 

C. B. CoUingwood Chemist. 

G. A. Humphrey Assistant Chemist. 

F. Cory Assistant at Pine Bluff. 

R. L. Munn Assistant at Jonesboro. 

J. K. Fitzgerald Assistant at Texarkana. 

*Vice S. H. Crossman, deceased. 

The experiment station has always been more or less intimately 
connected with the department of agriculture. Of the twelve men 
on the first staff, only three were on the university teaching force. 
Beginning with March, 1891, the staff was entirely distinct from the 
teaching force of the university. However, in more recent years the 
staff has been almost identical with that of the College of Agriculture. 

One of the greatest evils against which the station has had to 
contend is the frequent changes in the staff. This has been due to 
two causes, insufficient salaries and insecurity of tenure. Only one 
man, Dr. R. R. Dinwiddie, has been with the station ever since its 
organization. Many have remained onl)^ one year and others two and 
three years. As experiments frequently must extend over a series of 
years before any satisfactory results can be obtained, these frequent 
changes have often caused delays and sometimes serious losses. A 
new man can not — sometimes will not — always take up where his 
predecessor left off. He has his own methods and wishes to follow 
them, or it may be, wishes to continue experiments begun elsewhere. 
These evils have frequently been pointed out. In 1894 the board of 
trustees elected the staff for four years, but rescinded the rule at the 
end of that period and did not return to it for several years. However, 
security of tenure is not sufficient to hold men. The station is 
constantly losing men who are tempted away by higher salaries. 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 287 

In compliance with the law the station early began the issuance of 
bulletins. In all it has issued one hundred and four and also annual 
reports. 

Most of the experiments have been with crops or animals already 
well known in the State, but a few have had in view the introduction 
of something new. Naturally, cotton was one of the first things to 
receive attention. As the main station is out of the cotton belt, the 
work had to be carried on at a branch station and the one at Pine 
Blufif was selected for this. In 1888 work was begun on soil tests, 
fertilizers and methods of cultivation and the results were published 
in 1892. Bulletins were also issued in 1893, 1894, and 1897 dealing 
with the various questions of cotton culture, the last dealing especially 
with the best methods of restoring worn-out cotton lands. Since 1905 
experiments have been carried on in variety tests and breeding work. 

While Arkansas is not a great wheat state, the cereal is grown 
here in considerable quantities. Experiments on wheat growing were 
begun in 1887 for the purpose of determining the best method of pre- 
paring the soil and planting the seed, the best varieties for this section 
and the most profitable fertilizers. The work was carried on at New- 
port and was concluded and reported upon in 1894. The chemist then 
began a series of experiments on the chemistry of wheat which he con- 
tinued for four years. An attempt was made in 1897 to discover the 
best methods of increasing the yield without increasing the cost, the 
results of which were published in 1900. This is the last published 
report on wheat, but studies are now being conducted in breeding, 
variety tests, cultivation, rates of seeding, and the effects of soils on 
yield and quantity. 

Corn is a common crop in Arkansas and certain parts of the State 
probably are as well adapted to this cereal as any part of the United 
States. However, experiments on corn were not begun until 1892. 
The first experiments dealt with fodder, its composition, the best 
methods of securing it and its effects on corn. Tests were next made 
to determine the yield from the same variety grown in different 
latitudes. Seven varieties were collected from about twenty different 
states for this work. The station is now conducting experiments in 



288 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

breeding, variety tests (seventy varieties being used), methods of 
distribution, cultivation, vitality of seed, and efifects of crossing. 

Of all the experiments, one of the most noteworthy in point of 
results was that on rice. Previous to 1902 the plant was practically 
unknown in Arkansas. One or two farmers had attempted to grow it, 
but the results were not altogether encouraging. In 1902 the station 
began an experiment in cooperation with a farmer near Lonoke which 
clearly demonstrated that rice could be grown there under proper 
conditions. In 1903 the station cooperated with the department of 
irrigation and drainage, studying the questions of water supply. In 
1905 the matter of rice growing was again taken up, the plant was 
enlarged, but really satisfactory results were not obtained until the 
following year. However, previous attempts had demonstrated the 
possibilities of the industry and several farmers were growing rice 
successfully in 1904. When the results of the experiments were pub- 
lished in 1906 the cultivation began to spread rapidly. In 1909 the 
production of rice in Arkansas amounted to over 1,000,000 bushels. 

A little has been done in experimentation on fruits, though not as 
much as might reasonably have been expected since the station is 
located in the heart of one of the finest fruit belts in the United 
States. At first the principal lines of study were the care of the 
apple, such as treatment for insects and plant diseases. In 1904 the 
rejuvenation of an old orchard was undertaken with results that 
attracted considerable attention. Bulletins have also been published 
on the peach, strawberries, and the grape. The peach and strawberry 
industries have grown to large proportions in the State, but the 
vineyard is yet to be developed. Several bulletins dealing with truck 
farming have been issued. 

In the matter of live stock the station has not done a great deal 
for the improvement of the breeds, but has been active for the 
prevention of diseases, especially for the eradication of the cattle tick. 

The following is a complete list of the bulletins issued to the 
close of 1909: 

Bulletin i. Cultivation of Cotton and Corn. — A. E. Menke. 
Bulletin 2. Diseases of Animals. 

Bulletin 3. Remedies for Peach Borer and Codling Moth. — S. H. Crossman. 
Bulletin 4. Commercial Fertilizers. 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 289 



Bulletin 5. Dehorning.- — R. R. Dinwiddle, S. S. Twombly, and C. B. CoUingwood. 

Bulletin 6. Experiments with Wheat. 

Bulletin 7. Tests of Varieties of Grapes and Strawberries. 

Annual R-eport — First Annual Report, 1S88. 

Bulletin 8. Spaying of Cattle. 

Bulletin 9. Cotton-seed Hulls for Fattening. 

Bulletin 10. Insects and Insecticides ; Chemical Fertilizers. — C. W. Woodworth. 

Bulletin II. Strawberries and Cereals. 

Annual Report. — Second Annual Report, 1889. 

Bulletin 12. Inlluence of Spaying on Milk Production; ]\Iilk Analysis. 

Bulletin 13. Entomology. — C. W. Woodworth; IVst of Varieties of Strawberries. — 

J. McNeill 
Bulletin 14. The Effects of the Arsenites upon the Plants. — C. W. Woodworth. 
Bulletin 15. New Insecticid-es for the Cotton Worm.~G. C. Davis. 

Annual Report. — Third Annual Report, 1890. 

Bulletin 16. Nature and Treatment of a Prevalent Skin Disease of Young Cattle — 

Ringworm. — R. R. Dinwiddie. 

Bulletin 17. Test of Varieties of Grapes, Strawberries, Raspberries, and Plums. — 

J. F. McKay. 

Annual Report — Fourth Annual Report, 1891. 

Bulletin 18. Some Cotton Experiments at Newport. — R. L. Bennett. 
Bulletin 19. Manures and Some Principles in Farm Manuring. — G. L. Teller. 
Bulletin 20. Animal Parasitism; Some Texas Fever Experiments. — R. R. Dinwiddie. 
Bulletin 21. Grapes: Some Insect and Fungus Diseases and their Remedies; 

Spraying Apparatus ; Apples and Grapes in Arkansas. — J. T. 

Stinson. 
Bulletin 22. Sorghum and Sugar-cane Culture ; Syrup and .Sugar Making on 

Small h'arms ; Some Meld I-L.xperiments with Cantaloupes and Corn. 

— C. L. Newman. 

Annual Report. — I'~ifth Annual Report, 1892. 

Bulletin 2^. Cotton Experiments at Newport, 1892. — R. L. Bennett and G. B. Irby. 

Bulletin 24. Fodder. — G. L. Teller. 

Bulletin 25. Unsound Corn and Forage as a Cause of Disease in Live Stock; 

Colics in Horses and Mules; Some Further E.xperiments with 

Cattle ; Texas Fever. — R. R. Dinwiddie. 



290 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Annual Report. — Sixth Annual Report, 1893. 

Bulletin 26. Spraying Apple Trees; Spra3-ing for Appk Scab and Bitter Rot; 

Prevalence in the State of Apple Scab and Bitter Rot ; Varieties 

of Apples in the State Reported as Surest Bearers; Some Apples 

Adapted to all Sections of the State ; Arkansas Seedling Apples. — 

J. T. Stinson. 
Bulletin 27. Late Crops for Overflow Lands ; Corn ; Varieties for all Sections of 

the State; Corn Culture;' Rotation of Crops; Cotton; Egyptian 

Varieties ; Cotton Culture ; Stack Frame for Curing and Storing 

Cowpea Hay ; Cowpea Hay ; Forage Plants ; Oats for Hay. — 

R. L. Bennett and G. B. Irby. 
Bulletin 28. Rye for Green Winter Feeding ; Fertilizer Experiments with Rye ; 

Onions from Seed; Salsify, or Oyster Plant; Fall-raised Irish 

Potatoes ; Preparation of Soil for Cotton ; Bermuda Grass ; 

Pocket Gopher ; Mol-es. — C. L. Newman. 
Bulletin 29. Wheat Experiments on Sandy Loam Soil at Newport Substation; 

Some Grass Experiments on Clay Loam Soil at Fayetteville. — 

R. L. Bennett and G. B. Irby. 
Bulletin 30. Feeding Standards; Some Arkansas Stock Foods; Compounding 

Rations. — G. L. Teller. 
Bulletin 31. Fattening Mature Steers on Cotton Seed and Cowpea Hay; Cowpeas ; 

Swe-et Potatoes ; Peanuts ; Cotton Varieties ; Minor Miscellaneous 

Subjects. — R. L. Bennett and G. B. Irby. 
Bulletin 32. Protection of Soil from Surface Washing ; Hillside Ditches ; Terraces ; 

Drainage of Wet Lands; Indications of the Need of Drainage; 

Open Ditches ; Underdrains. — C. L. Newman. 

Annual Report.— Seventh Annual Report, 1894. 

Bulletin 33. Insects Injurious to Fruits and Vegetables and Remedies for Destroy- 
ing Them. — J. T. Stinson. 

Bulletin 34. Vegetables; Varieties, Cuhure, and Fertiliza.tion ; Sundry Experi- 
ments. — C. L. Newman. 

Bulletin 35. Verminous Bronchitis; Parturient Apoplexy of Cows; Hog Cholera 
and Other Swine Diseases ; Tuberculosis of Cattle ; Glanders in 
Horses and Mules. — R. R. Dinwiddle. 

Bulletin 36. Grasses and Clovers. — R. L. Bennett. 

Bulletin 37. Syrups and Molasses.— G. L. Teller and J. F. Moore. 



Annual Report.— Eighth Annual Report, 1895. 

Bulletin 38. Irish Potatoes.— C. L. Newman. 

Bulletin 39. Spraying Fruits; Strawberries, Grapes.— J. T. Stinson. 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 291 

Bulletin 40. On the Toxic Properties of ]Molds. — R. R. Dinwiddie ; Field Investi- 
gations of Various Stock Diseases. — H. V. Goode. 

Bulletin 41. Pork Production nn Crops Gathered by Hogs; A Succession of Crops 
for Hogs. — R. L. Bennett. 

lUilletin 42. Concerning Wheat and its Mill Products. — G. L. Teller. 

Bulletin 43. Report of the Horticulturist, 1896. — J. T. Stinson. 

Annual Report. — Xinth Annual Report, 1896. 

Bulletin 44. Vegetable Gardening. — C. L. Newman. 

Bulletin 45. Milk : Its Decomposition and Preservation. — R. R. Dinwiddie. 

Bulletin 46. Experiments with Manures and Rotation for Improving Worn Cotton 

Soils; Experiments on Beef and Pork Production in Connection 

Therewith. — R. L. Bennett. 
Bulletin 47. Concerning Fertilizers and Manures: After-effect of Manures. — G. L. 

Teller. 
Bulletin 48. Strawberries. — J. T. Stinson. 

Annual Report. — Tenth Annual Report, 1897. 

Bulletin 49. Preliminary Report on Arkansas Seedling Apples. — J. T. Stinson. 

Bulletin 50. Some Irish Potato Experiments. — C. L. Newman. 

Bulletin 51. Methods of Combating Communicable Diseases of Farm Animals. — 

R. R. Dinwiddie. 
Bulletin 52. Feeding Value to Steers of Cotton Seed, Ground Cotton Seed, Cotton 

Meal, and Hulls ; Effect of Temperature.— R. L. Bennett. 
Bulletin 53. A Report of Progress of Investigations in the Chemistry of Wlieat. — 

G. L. Teller. 
Bulletin 54. Fattening Value of Certain Foods Gathered by Pigs. — R. L. Bennett. 
Bulletin 55. Orchard Cultivation. — J. T. Stinson. 

Annual Report. — Eleventh Annual Report, 1898. 

Bulletin 56. Tomatoes, Cabbage, and Onions. — C. L. Newman. 

Bulletin 57. The Relative Virulence for the Domestic Animals of Human and 

Bovine Tubercle ; Bibliographical Review ; Experimental Researches. 

— R. R. Dinwiddie. 
Bulletin 58. An Experiment in Grazing a Corn and Cowpea Field with Steers ; 

Experiments with Peanuts, Legume ^lanuring, Cotton ^Nleal, 

Whole and Crushed Cotton Seed }^Ianuring. and Varieties of 

Cotton.— R. L. Bennett. 
Bulktin 59. The Comparative Yield of Corn from Seed of the Same Variety Grown 

in Different Latitudes. — C. L. Newman. 
Bulletin 60. Second Report on Arkansas Seedling Apples. — J. T. Stinson. 



292 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Annual Report. — Twelfth Annual Report, 1899. 

Bulletin 61. Annual Plants for Summer Hay and Pasture; for Winter Hay and 
Pasture, and for Forage of Coarse Fodder ; Permanent Plants 
for Meadow and Pasture ; Special Crops for Pig Grazing. — 
R. L. Bennett. 

Bulletin 62. Wheat Experiments. — C. L. Newman. 

Bulletin 63. The Relative Susceptibility of the Domestic Animals to the Contagia 
of Human and Bovine Tuberculosis. — R. R. Dinwiddie. 

Bulletin 64. Notes on Celery. — E. Walker. 

Bulletin 65. Pig-Feeding Experiments. — R. L. Bennett. 

Annual Report. — Thirteenth Annual Report, 1900. 

Bulletin 66. Oat Experiments. — C. L. Newman. 

Bulletin 67. Investigations of Swine Diseases in Arkansas. — R. R. Dinwiddie. 

Bulletin 68. Soil Improvement and Forage Experiments. — R. L. Bennett. 

Bulletin 69. Some Muskmelon Experiments. — E. Walker. 

Bulletin 70. Cowpea Experiments. — C. L. Newman. 



Annual Report. — Fourteenth Annual Report, 1901. 



Bulletin 71 
Bulletin 72 
Bulletin 73 
Bulletin 74, 
Bulletin 75 
Bulletin 76 



Why Apple Trees Fail. — E. Walker. 

Sweet Potato Experiments. — C. L. Newman. 

Pork Production Experiments and Hog Ranching. — R. L. Bennett. 

The Phosphate Rocks of Arkansas.— J. C. Branner and J. F. Newsom. 

Alfalfa— R. L. Bennett. 

Pig Feeding Experiments with Cotton-seed Meal— R. R. Dinwiddie. 



Annual Report. — Fifteenth Annual Report, 1902. 

Bulletin 77. Cowpea Experiments. — C. L. Newman. 
Bulletin 78. Experiments with Edible Oils.— J. F. Moore. 
Bulletin 79. Peach Growing in Arkansas. — E. Walker. 



Annual Report. — Sixteenth Annual Report, 1903. 



Bulletin 80 
Bulletin 81 
Bulletin 82 
Bulletin 83 
Bulletin 84, 



Cowpea Hay. — C. L. Newman. 

Fertilizers. — A. M. Muckenfuss. 

Live-stock Sanitation in Arkansas. — R. R. Dinwiddie. 

Broom Corn Suggestions. — C. L. Newman. 

Peanuts. — C. L. Newman. 



Annual Report.— Seventeenth Annual Report, 1904. 



THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. 293 

Annual Report. — Eighteenth Annual Report, 1905. 

Bulletin 85. Cotton-food Products in Hog Feeding.— R. R. Dinwiddie. 

Bulletin 86. Asparagus and Salt; Asparagus Growing in Arkansas; Rhubarb in 
Arkansas. — E. Walker; Fertilizers Registered for Sale in Arkansas 
during IQOS. — A. M. Muckenfuss. 

Bull-etin 87. Glanders of Horses. — R. R. Dinwiddie. 

Bulletin 88. Food Adulteration in Arkansas. — J. H. Norton. 

Bulletin 89. Rice Growing in Arkansas. ^W. G. Vincenheller. 

Bulletin 90. The Cattle Tick in Washington and Benton Counties. — W. G. Vin- 
cenheller. 

Bulletin 91. Suggestions upon the Care of Appk Orchards. — E. Walker. 

Annual Report. — Nineteenth Annual Report, 1906. 

Bulletin 92. Some Insects of Orchard and Other Fruits. — C. F. Adams. 

Bulletin 93. Cattle Tick Eradication in Northwest Arkansas.— W. G. Vincenheller. 

Bulletin 94. Rice Culture. — R. J. Nelson. 

Bulletin 95. Notes on Spraying and Suggestions for Combating Crop Pests.— 
E. Walker. 

Bulletin 96. Anthrax in .\rkansas; Charbon Outbreaks in 1905-1906; General 
Description ; Preventive Measures ; Anthrax Vaccination and its 
Results ; Commercial Vaccines. — R. R. Dinwiddie. 

Bulletin 97. Anthrax and Anthrax Vaccines (Technical). — R. R. Dinwiddie. 

Annual Report. — Twentieth Annual Report, 1907. 

Bulletin 98. Rice.— R. J. Nelson. 
Bulletin 99. Farm Poultry. — W. S. Jacobs, 
Bulletin 100. Meterological Summary. — J. H. Norton. 

Bulletin loi. Notes on the Cattle Tick and Tick Fever of Cattle; Tick Eradica- 
tion in Arkansas in 1907. — R. R. Dinwiddie and W. Lenton. 
Bulletin 102. The San Jose Scale in Arkansas. — C. F. Adams. 

Annual Report. — Twenty-fir.st Annual Report, 1908. 

Bulletin 103. The Deposition of Fat and Lean in Hogs. A Comparison of the 
Capability of Hogs of the Lard and Bacon Type in the Utilization 
of Wide and Narrow Rations. — R. R. Dinwiddie and A. K. Short. 

Bulletin 104. Farm Drainage. — C. P. Norgord. 

Circular i. Corn Judging: A Circular of Information for the Members of the 
Boys' Corn Clubs of the State of Arkansas. — R. J. Nelson. 

Annual Report. — Twenty-second z\nnual Report, 1909. 

Bulletin 105. Studies on the Bacteriology of Infectious Diseases of Swine. — R. R. 

Dinwiddie and J. F. Stanford. 
Circular 2. Farmers' Hand Book on Swine; A Collection of Data pertaining to 

the Feeding, Care and Management of Swine. A. K. Short. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



THE PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS. 



I. Medical Department. 

June 16, 1879, Chairman Gregg- of the committee on medical college 
department of university located at Little Rock presented the follow- 
ing- report : "That a medical department be established at Little Rock ; 
that P. O. Plooper, M. D., be and act as principal, that he, with advice 
and consent of state medical association, appoint assistants and 
lecturers." Two days later this was adopted. 

A modest announcement was issued in the summer of 1879 stating 
that lectures would begin October 7. No "magnificent and imposing- 
structure" as the medical department building- could be presented to 
"inspire wonder and admiration in students," but a comfortable 
building had been secured and moderate hospital facilities were avail- 
able. Fifteen names were presented in the list of faculty and 
instructors, among them such well-known names as those of Doctors 
P. O. Hooper, James S. Dibrell and James H. Southall. Instruction 
was based in what was called a "voluntary graded course" of three 
years. 

During- the first year twenty-two students matriculated, one of 
whom was graduated. At their June meeting- in 1880 the board 
ordered that the word "Industrial" be inserted in the title of the 
medical department to show that it was a department of the Arkansas 
Industrial University. Yet they had done nothing- for it except pass 
resolutions. The medical faculty had purchased and fitted up a 
building at their own expense. The board now resolved to ask the 
legislature to provide for the appointment of "two scientific physicians, 
contiguous to the medical department," who, with the dean, should 
constitute an executive committee to look after the medical depart- 
ment. The dean was to be a member of the board. 

The legislature of 1881 confirmed the action of the board in 
establishing- the medical department and carried out the recommenda- 



296 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

tion in regard to the executive committee except that the dean was 
not made a member of the board. 

The state medical society seems to have taken an active interest 
in the school. A board of visitors representing this society was 
present at the examination of candidates for degrees. In 1885 this 
committee gave its unqualified endorsement to the work of the school. 
The United States commissioner of education also called attention to 
the small number of graduates compared with the number of 
matriculates — eight out of 41 in 1886 — as evidence of thorough work. 

Soon after the department was founded it secured a "ver}^ 
commodious edifice," three stories high, on Second Street, between 
Main and Louisiana. Tn 1891 it moved into a "very fine, imposing 
edifice, three stories in height," on Second and Sherman Streets. By 
this time the hospital facilities had increased so as to add materially 
to the facilities for instruction, the Little Rock infirmary and the 
county hospital both being available. This same year the department 
was further strengthened by the Isaac Folsom Clinic, endowed with 
$20,000. 

Down to 1892 students were required to attend lectures for only 
two years. After July, 1892, in accordance with the requirements 
of the American Medical Association, all students who had not 
attended a full course of lectures before that date must attend three 
full courses of six months each in three separate years. Three years 
later, when the association required four years, the medical department 
did likewise. They have also followed the association in its matter 
of requirements for admission. 

The first year (1879-80) the instructional force numbered 16, the 
students 22. In 1889-1890 there was the same number of instructors, 
but the enrollment of students had gone to 76. At the end of another 
ten years there was still the same number of instructors and the name 
of Dr. P. O. Hooper still headed the list, though his position had 
been that of an emeritus for ten years. The students now numbered 
171. 

II. Law Department. 

In March, 1890, on motion of Trustee Mitchell, a law department 
was created at Favetteville with F. M. Goar as dean, and four other 



THE PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS. 297 

professors. A hall in the university building- was to be set apart for 
the use of this faculty. A course of study was outlined in the 
catalogue and it was announced that the spring term would run from 
March 2 to June 29, the fall term from September 2 to December 24. 
A special term of two months during July and August, 1891, was 
announced for the benefit of any who were not able to enter the 
spring term. In December the board asked the legislature to buy 
books for the law department. But the department failed to material- 
ize. The following year the board declared that they acted in good 
faith in providing for it and commended the zeal of Dean Goar in 
attempting to organize it, but declared it inexpedient to advertise such 
an institution in the catalogue unless teaching was actually going on. 

At the meeting of the board in January, 1893, Trustee Mitchell again 
brought up the matter of a law department by a resolution to adopt 
the law school at I^ittle Rock as the law department of the university. 
It was stipulated that this department should be on the same basis as 
the medical department and that the university board should incur 
no expense for its maintenance. 

As thus organized the school opened in October, 1893, with 
Frank M. Goar as dean and four other attorneys as professors. The 
course was divided into two years, but if one had already read law, 
or preferred trying to complete the work in one year, he was admitted 
to the final examinations and, on passing-, was given the LL. B. 
The department was supported l)y tuition fees alone. The sessions 
were held at night in the capitol building, where students were given 
access to the supreme court library. The enrollment the first year was 
36. By 1909 the number had risen to 69. 

The method of instruction is by recitations on previously assigned 
lessons, supplemented by special lectures. Students are also required 
to prepare legal papers in the form of briefs. The course of study 
covers two years and leads to the degree of bachelor of laws. By act 
of the legislature all graduates of this school are admitted to practice 
in the supreme court and all inferior courts of the state without 
examination. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE BRANCH NORMAL COLLEGE. 



L JL^OUNDATION. 

As the university was founded under the reconstruction regime, 
and as a negro was president of the board for a time, it was not 
unnatural that the cjuestion of admitting- negroes should have been 
raised. Even before the university was opened it was brought to an 
issue in a resolution introduced by Trustee Millen directing the 
president to admit students of both races. Instead of this, however, 
the board adopted a substitute resolution offered by Trustee Bennett 
leaving- the matter to be settled "as the sound discretion of the 
executive committee may dictate." April 14, 1873, the executive 
committee reported that their "sound discretion" had thrown the 
institution open to all "without regard to race, sex, or sect." 

However, the agitation for a separate institution had already been 
started. March 5, 1873, Professor Martin, of Pine Blufif, and a Mrs. 
Clark, of Phillipps County, were invited to appear before the board 
and state their claims and views in regard to the creation of additional 
normal schools for the training- of colored teachers, the schools to be 
located in districts easily accessible to the colored population. As soon 
as their views were known Trustee Bennett introduced a resolution 
for a committee of three to devise some practicable method whereby 
the legislature might be induced to make some suitable appropriation 
for the purpose of establishing a normal school for the education and 
training- of colored persons as teachers. This resolution was adopted 
and Trustees Bennett, Searle and Clayton wxre appointed on the 
committee. 

A few days later Mr. Clayton, who was also a member of the 
senate, introduced a bill to carry out the purpose of the resolution 
and this bill became a law April 25, 1873. One section read: 

"The board of trustees of the Arkansas Industrial University are 
herebv authorized to take into consideration the interests of the state. 



300 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

and especially the convenience and well-being of the poorer classes, 
and to select a suitable site and locate thereon a branch normal 
college, which location, owing to the principal college being located in 
the northwestern portion of the state, shall be made southeast or east 
or south of the county of Pulaski." 

The sum of $25,000 in state scrip was appropriated to carry out the 
purpose of the law. The act provided that the branch normal should 
be under the control of the university board. While negroes are 
not mentioned in the act it was understood that the "poorer classes" 
referred to them. 

At the July meeting of the board Messrs. Bennett, Clayton and 
Millen were appointed a committee to seek financial aid and bids from 
towns for the location of the institution, but, owing to the money panic 
and the low price of scrip, which ranged at times as low as twenty-five 
cents, they decided to defer the matter of location. At the July 
meeting in 1874, the board, which had been revolutionized in 
consequence of political changes in the state, again took up the matter 
and a new committee, Messrs. Jones, Johnson and Thompson, was 
appointed. However, at the end of another year this committee had 
done nothing toward carrying the law into effect. Governor Garland 
then replaced Mr. Johnson on the committee and became its chairman. 
Some time in July, 1875, the committee employed Professor J. C. 
Corbin and directed him to go to Pine Bluff" for the purpose of 
investigating the desirability of that place as a location for the 
proposed normal. He returned with a favorable report and the com- 
mittee closed a contract with him to organize and take charge of 
the school for one year at a salar}^ of one thousand dollars. 

Armed with a brief letter from Governor Garland which was at 
the same time his letter of credit, his certificate of authority, and his 
recommendation. Professor Corbin returned to Pine Bluff and pro- 
ceeded to organize his school. He rented from Colonel M. L. Bell a 
building on the corner of Lindsay and Sevier streets at $300 per year, 
and school furniture was ordered from Chicago. Sickness caused 
delay in repairing the building so as to get it in readiness and the 
boat which was bringing the furniture up the Arkansas River sank, 



THE BRANCH NORMAL COLLEGE. 301 

but the school was finally opened September 27, 1875, with seven 
students in attendance. Three of these came from Jefi^erson and four 
from Drew counties. 

The total expense of maintainino- the school the first year was a 
little over fifteen hundred dollars. In June, 1876, the committee on 
the branch normal reported that none of the state scrip had been sold 
and that there was then in the state treasury to the credit of the normal 
$21,011.60, which had been drawing interest at five per cent, since 
1872. The committee never visited the branch normal in a body, 
though Trustee Thompson and Professor N. P. Gates, of the normal 
department at the university, did go there and reported the manage- 
ment satisfactory. Practically all responsibility for the management 
was thus thrown upon Professor Corbin. The expense of maintenance 
did not vary much before the close of the decade. In June, 1880, 
the balance still to the credit of the institution was $13,711.60, and 
it owned property (furniture mostly) valued at $508.20. 

At the June meeting in 1880 the board decided, on motion of 
Trustee Thompson, to appropriate $3,000 of the normal's funds to 
buy land in or near Pine Blufif, and Governor Miller, General Royston 
and W. E. Thompson were appointed a committee to carry out this 
resolution and to erect a suitable building. This committee went to 
Pine BluiT and bought twenty acres for $700. An appeal was then 
made to the legislature for building funds and that body appropriated 
$10,000 for this purpose in 1881. The same committee, except that 
Governor Churchill had replaced Governor Miller, then contracted 
with Harding and Bailey, of Little Rock, to erect a two-story brick 
building with four rooms below and an assembly hall above at a cost 
of $9,930. After this was paid for and the running expenses of the 
session 1881-82 had been met the normal still had to its credit $9,706.35 
in state scrip and $3,224.68 in currency. The committee was then 
authorized to erect two cottages on the normal grounds at a cost of 
not over $800 each, one to be rented to the principal and the other to a 
responsible boarding-house keeper. At the following meeting of the 
board (1883) they reported nothing done and asked that the appro- 
priation be increased to $2,500. This was done with instructions to 
proceed at once with the work, but it seems never to ha\'e been done. 



302 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

In 1887 the legislature appropriated $5,000 for a girls' dormitory 
and with this sum there was erected a building accommodating about 
thirty-five girls. Two years later the sum of $1,000 was appropriated 
to furnish the dormitory. In 1891 $5,000 was appropriated for the 
erection of a building for the agricultural and mechanical department 
and in 1899, $600 for an ofhce building. The growth of the school 
rendered necessary a larger building and the legislature of 1901 gave 
$5,000 for an annex to the main building, and at the same time $800 
for enlargement of the shop building. Another addition was deemed 
necessary in 1907 and $6,000 was voted. 

The establishment of the industrial department, which had often 
been recommended by Professor Corbin, followed immediately upon 
the erection of the building for the shops in 1891. Provision was made 
for a wood shop, a machine shop, a foundry and a forge. For the 
first year this was in charge of George P. Eustace, who had done 
some work at the university. He was succeeded by W. S. Harris, of 
Virginia, who is still there. 

In 1894 out of 241 students enrolled, 42 were taking work in this 
department. It has continued to grow in importance and in the 
attendance of students. The work turned out by the students has been 
a credit to the institution. 

Scarcely had this department been established when Professor 
Corbin began to make recommendations for an industrial department 
for girls. This, he declared, was necessary to keep them busy while 
the boys with whom they recited in other subjects were at work in 
the shops. After making several ineffectual appeals Professor Corbin 
at last in 1897 induced the board to respond. They elected his 
daughter "sewing and industrial teacher for females" and authorized 
the purchase of sewing machines. In some way typewriting was 
. worked in also and at the end of the year it was reported that several 
of the girls had become so proficient that they were working for 
several lawyers in the city. AVith this accomplished Professor Corbin 
seems to have rested satisfied, for we find him making no further 
recommendations for the enlargement of the school's field of activity, 
except by an increase in the teaching force and an enlargement of the 
departments already in existence. 



THE BRANCH NORMAL COLLEGE. 303 

Professor Isaac I-'islier, who became principal in 1902, had been 
educated at Tuskei^ee and was thoroughly imbued with the Tuskegee 
idea. He soon began to unfold plans for greater things and, calling- 
attention to the fact that the brancli normal college was the only state 
school in the South for negroes which did not provide instruction in 
agriculture, recommended the establishment of the following: An 
agricultural department, a dair}^ department, a laundry department, 
a shoe-making dei)artment, a harness-making department, a wheel- 
wright department, a department of domestic economy, a brick- 
making department, a printing plant, and a department of music. The 
legislative committee of 1903 had recommended the first of these 
proposed innovations. In a report to the legislature it said : 

The field or farm industries are neglected altogether. There are some twenty 
acres of ground where the buildings are situated and its pro.ximity to market would 
justify its appropriation to industrial uses, especially such as market gardening. 
This branch of industry, with a few hundred dollars expended to organize it, can 
certainly be made self-sustaining and at the same time teach husbandr\' to the 
students, a vocation for which they are more properly fitted. 

The ground needs drainage and fertilization, and, when this is done, the water 
supply is such that irrigation can be applied and a crop failure absolutely avoided. 
We especially recommend that the trustees of the Arkansas Industrial University 
be directed to take such steps as will produce this result. 

II. Maintenance. 

Down to 1887 the institution seems to have been supported entirely 
by the scrip fund together with the small fees charged students. The 
same rule governing the matter of beneficiary students applied here 
as at the university. At first tuition was free to all signing an 
agreement to teach two years in the public schools of the State. A 
pa}'ment of $5.00 as a matriculation fee sufficed for four years' 
attendance in the case of beneficiaries. These fees, together with 
tuition collected from non-beneficiaries, amounted to only $111.60 in 
1877-8. The following year this sum fell to $17.50. However, it is 
probable that a good many who were not beneficiaries did not pay 
then as this was true later. The board called attention to this in 
1883 and directed that a fee of one dollar a month be collected from 
all non-beneficiarv students. The result was the collection of 



304 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

$328.85 the following- year. The collection of matriculation and 
tuition fees seems to haA^e been somewhat rigidly enforced. In 
1893-4 four students were suspended for non-payment, but there was 
only ten dollars uncollected. This system was said by the principal 
to work a hardship on some worthy students who were kept away by 
their inability to pay the fees. This was given as one explanation of 
the small enrollment, 183, in 1893-4. A few years before (1890-1) it 
had reached 218. Though modest, the fees were declared to be in 
excess of those charged by any of the denominational schools in the 
State. This was thought not to be in harmony with the act which 
founded the school for the "poorer classes." The S3^stem remains 
unchanged. 

Since 1887 the legislature has provided maintenance funds out of 
the state treasury or out of the Morrill fund. The following table 
shows the sums appropriated out of the state treasury, in addition 
to the sums already mentioned for buildings, and also the amounts 
received each year ending June 30 from the Morrill fund : 

State Morrill 

1887 $ 6,590 00 

1889 8,500 03 

1890 $4 090 89 

1891 8,300 00 4,363 63 

1892 4,636 36 

1893 7,700 00 4,909 08 

1894 5>i8i 81 

1895 8,900 00 5,454 54 

1896 5,727 27 

1897 10.25D 00 6 000 DO 

1898 6,545 43 

1899 9,250 00 6,818 16 

1900 6,818 16 

1901 2,579 00 6,818 16 

ig02 6,818 16 

1903 1 1,750 00 6,818 16 

1904 6,816 16 

1905 1 1,250 00 6,818 16 

1906 6,818 16 

1907 14.500 00 6,818 16 

1908 6,818 16 

1909 1 1,600 00 6,818 16 



THE BRANCH NORMAL COLLEGE. 305 

The legislature of 1900 voted $13,500, Init Governor Donaghey 
vetoed several items because of a deficiency in the state's revenues. 

The state appropriations were made mainly for the payment of 
salaries. For example, in 1899 the total was $10,250, of which $8,000 
was set aside for this purpose. As the Morrill fund could be used only 
for the payment of salaries a surplus gradually accumulated which 
amounted to $20,758.47 on June 1, 1899. Soon after this Hon. AV. T. 
Harris, United States Commissioner of Education, notified the board 
that the Morrill fund could not be allowed to accumulate, but must 
be spent for the year for which appropriated. However, he further 
stated that a reasonable time would be allowed the board to dissipate 
the surplus already accumulated. At a called meeting in November, 
1899, the board proceeded to comply with this suggestion by ordering 
all salaries of branch normal teachers to be paid in future out of the 
Morrill fund, and for this 3^ear that the salary of the president of the 
university should be paid out of this fund, if it could be done "without 
violating- the law." The professor of mechanical engineering also 
was being paid out of normal funds. The board further authorized 
the purchase of two typewriters ($150) and three sewing machines 
($150) out of the Morrill fund. June 12, 1902, the treasurer of the 
branch normal reported that the surplus had been reduced to $647.54. 

This explains the small appropriation made by the legislature in 
1901. The board had asked for only $2,750. This appears to have 
been a shortsighted policy on the part of the board and the legislature. 
The small biennial appropriations being made by the State miglit 
have been continued and diverted to the development of an agricultural 
and other departments while the Morrill funds were sufficient for 
the pa3-ment of salaries. 

III. Teaching Force. 

For several years Professor Corbin seems to have done all the 
teaching except such as was done by student assistants. In 1882, 
when the enrollment had reached 145, the committee on the branch 
normal recommended an assistant teacher at $40 per month, but the 
board took no action in the matter until the following year, when they 
authorized the employment of an assistant at $30 per month, the 




D 



THE BRANCH NORMAL COLLEGE. 307 

salary to be paid out of the tuition fees of one dollar a month which 
they ordered collected from all non-beneficiary students. 

Ten years later the teaching- force had grown to six in number. 
The board then instructed them to organize as a faculty, which they 
did b}^ the election of Professor J. C. Corbin chairman and W. S. 
Harris secretary. The faculty was composed of five members. The 
third assistant, who was a male, was included, while the second 
assistant, -a female, was not. 

In 1902 Isaac Fisher succeeded J. C. Corbin as principal. As at 
present constituted, the teaching force numbers ten. Of these two 
devote their entire time to the mechanic arts department, one all of her 
time to dressmaking, one a part of her time to freehand drawing, and 
all the rest their whole time to the arts and sciences and normal work. 
This does not include the professor of mechanical engineering at the 
university who, for several years, has been catalogued as superintend- 
ent of mechanic arts and is paid out of branch normal funds. 

Under a resolution passed in 1903 all teachers and other employes 
of the branch normal were placed under the control of the local trustee 
with the stipulation that his dismissal should be final. Down to 1907 
the tenure of all was for one year. Beginning with 1907 the principal 
was elected for a term of two years. 

IV. Requirements for Admission. 

As already stated the branch normal was opened September 27, 
1875, with seven students in attendance. Professor Corbin believed 
that there were several explanations of this small number. One was 
that a report had been industriously circulated to the efifect that 
heavy fees would be charged, five dollars per month. Another report 
declared that the school was only a bit of political trickery. But the 
most fundamental reason was the difficulty in finding students 
prepared to meet the entrance requirements. 

While the reconstructionists in Arkansas were not so thoroughly 
imbued with the idea of equality as to decree mixed schools, they 
some times manifested a certain striving after it in form, if not in 
effect. This crops out in the act founding the branch normal in such 
a wav that it looks almost as if the framers of the act intended to 



308 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

make it impossible for negroes to receive any benefit from the 
institution. The act provided that it should be governed by the same 
rules and regulations as the principal college. The board were 
required to furnish the branch normal with professors and teachers 
equal in number, attainments, and other desirable qualifications to 
those furnished in the normal department of the university. Students 
were to be admitted in like numbers and with like qualifications as in 
the normal, were to pursue the same courses of study in the same text- 
books and, upon graduation, were to receive like honors and degrees. 

Presumably by "principal college" the normal department at 
Fayetteville was meant. The entrance requirements to this were "a 
satisfactory examination in the common English branches." This is 
somewhat indefinite, but we know that after admission to the 
preparatory normal class the student devoted himself to arithmetic, 
grammar, geography, reading, algebra, drawing, Latin, and history. 
With such requirements the wonder is that seven students were 
found in two counties who were able to enter. Had the requirements 
been rigidly enforced even these probably would have been excluded. 
We are told that the acquirements of those who applied for admission 
were of the most heterogeneous character: "One could read very well, 
but could not write a word legibly. Another could cipher through 
proportion, but could not read three consecutive sentences in such a 
way as to convey any idea of their meaning." By relaxing the 
requirements Professor Corbin was able to get together twenty-seven 
students before the end of the calendar year. It is impossible to trace 
the history of the requirements for admission. In 1893 we learn that 
for several years the standard of admission had been ability to read 
the fourth reader, and a knowledge of the fundamental rules of 
arithmetic, penmanship, and geography. If the criticism of the 
legislative committee to the effect that the "foundation of primary 
training" was not well laid was well founded, it may be that even 
these requirements were not rigidly enforced. The principal seemed 
to think that lower work ought to be given, but the teaching force 
was not sufficient to handle it, nor had the board authorized it. 

At present the completion of the fifth grade in the public schools 
entitles one to enter the preparatory department, where he must spend 
two years for the completion of the work. The statement of the 



THE BRANCH NORMAL COLLEGE. 309 

requirements for admission to the normal department is somewhat 
indefinite — "the equivalent of seventy-two weeks of two and one-half 
hours per week, in arithmetic, English grammar, United States history 
and geography ; thirty-six weeks, of two and one-half hours per week, 
in free. hand drawing and twelve weeks in general history. The 
candidate for the B. A. must ofifer, in addition to the foregoing, 
"satisfactory work in English composition, physical geography, 
algebra, geometry, and one Latin author." 

V. Courses of Study. 

An examination of the course of study prescri]:)ed in 1879-80 reveals 
the fact that the law was being followed to the letter in that respect, 
for it was -identical with the course prescribed in the normal depart- 
ment at Fayetteville. However, there was a three year preparatory 
course antecedent to this which began with the fourth reader, graded 
lessons in English and Robinson's shorter arithmetic. 

Modifications in the course of study were soon being made in the 
way of lowering the requirements. In 1881, on motion of Trustee 
Thompson, Professor Corbin was allowed to deviate from the course 
prescribed in the catalogue of the normal department at Fayetteville 
by omitting descriptive geometry, differential and integral calculus 
and logic. Two years later the course w^as still further modified on the 
recommendation of Professor Corbin by dropping Latin. However, 
those who so desired might still complete the regular course and 
receive the normal diploma, while those completing the amended 
course were to receive only certificates for the work actually done. 

Professor Corbin stated (1889) that the normal course was not 
intended merely to prepare for teaching and said that it differed from 
the regular college curriculum only in the omission of one or two 
branches of higher mathematics and including less Greek. The 
legislative committee of 1893 called attention to the fact that the 
normal features of the school were largely ignored, but there was no 
immediate change. Yet, a few 3^ears ago, eighty-four per cent of the 
graduates were said to be engaged in teaching. As it stands to-day the 
normal course is simply a short arts and science course with a very 
little pedagogy and some industrial work thrown in. The course 



310 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

covers four years and leads to the L. I. certificate, or degree, as it is 
called. Latin and algebra are begun in the first year. For the first 
three years male students have four hours a week in the shops and 
female students eight hours in the sewing room. The last year this 
work is optional, but pedagogy and psychology are required for two 
terms. At the annual meeting of the board in 1909 the committee on 
the branch normal was. instructed to raise the courses of study to 
coincide Avith a standard normal school "in so far as practicable at 
this time." 

A course leading to the B. A., is laid down in the catalogue. In 
the autumn term of freshman year the student in this course is 
required to take English, mathematics, physics, and Latin, but just 
what English, what mathematics, what physics and what Latin it is 
he is not informed until he applies. Perhaps the little importance 
attached to this course accounts in part for the indefinite statements. 
The present principal of the school. Professor ]saac Fisher, states that 
out of 173 (1906) graduates of the institution, only ten have taken the 
B. A., and that the last candidate applied for it thirteen years ago. As 
a matter of fact, according to the alumni list, one graduated with the 
B. A. in 1882, one in 1883, four in 1884, two in 1885, one in 1889, and 
one in 1894. Much more emphasis is laid on the mechanic arts 
department where courses are ofl^ered in mechanic arts and manual 
training. The first covers three years, the second four, and ten hours 
per week of shop work is required each year in each course. The 
wood shop will accommodate 24 students, the forge shop 16, the 
machine shop 16, the tool room 4 and the boiler room 4. The object of 
these courses is to train young men for certain trades, especially 
carpenter, fireman and engineer, and to supply the demand for trained^ 
teachers in the industrial schools of the South. A good deal of time 
is devoted to English, mathematics and the sciences. The industrial 
feature for girls lays most emphasis on dressmaking. 

Considering the aptitude of the negro for music it would be strange 
if this subject were neglected altogether. While the authorities have 
never made any special provision for it, the faculty have managed to 
arrange for instruction in both vocal and instrumental music. By 
concerts and donations a set of band and one of orchestral instruments 
have been secured. The choir of forty voices, trained by the principal, 



THE BRANCH NORMAL COLLEGE. 311 

is one of the features of every commencement. A small beginning in 
art has been made by the wife of the principal. 

A'l. Attendance. 

Although the school opened in 1875 with only se\cn in attendance 
the first day. the total enrollment for the year reached seventy-five. 
However, many dropped out after a month or two so that the average 
attendance for the last three or four months did not exceed 45 or 50. 
For the year 1879-80, 126 were enrolled, of' whom 13 were in "first 
grade," 42 in "second grade," and 71 in "third grade." As the "grades" 
are not elsewhere mentioned it is impossible to tell whether they Avere 
in the normal or in the preparatory. 

The growth of the institution in attendance can not be said to be 
altogether flattering. It reached 218 in 1890-1 and fell back to 183 in 
1894-5. Since then it has been as follows for the years given : 

1899-1900 232 

1901-1902 218 

1902-1903 180 

1905-1906 240 

1907-1908 340 

1908-1909 300 

This variation is explained by the principal as "due to the fact that, 
unlike white children, negro pupils attend school according to the 
condition of the crops — good crops, good school attendance, and vice 
versa." The attendance is usually about evenly divided between the 
sexes. 




w 



u 



w 



CHAPTER XIX. 



THE LIBRARY, MUSEUM AND LABORATORIES. 



The Library. 

The first recorded mention of the library is in a resolution of the 
board March, 1872, reciting- that the reading- room which had been 
opened in town and supplied with periodicals at considerable expense 
was so far from the university as to be of questionable benefit to the 
faculty and students. In view of this the executive committee was 
authorized to close it and open one at the university. Just when this 
action was taken does not seem to be a matter of record, but a man 
who entered as a student about this time says that "there was a 
small number (of books) in a case at one end of the upper room" of 
the first temporary building" erected on the campus. The second year, 
when he began to use the books, he found there a very carefully 
selected lot, the most of them intended for use by normal students. 
A few periodicals were taken also. A few 3^ears later the library, still 
embryonic, was moved into the room over the chapel in the north 
wing of L^niversity Hall and this has been the scene of its development 
to this day. 

Either because it was not thought worth while or because it was 
not feasible to do so, the library was not opened at regular hours until 
1877. Then the faculty set the hours from 12 to 1 and 3:30 to 4 p. m. 
The librarian was directed to keep a correct list of all books belonging 
to the library and group them according to subject matter. No one 
except the librarian was to have access to the shelves and no one 
except teachers could draw a book from the library, though students 
were allowed to use them in the room. A teacher might keep any 
book one week or if text-book used in his class, one term. Three 
years later students were allowed to draw books on the written order 
of a teacher, and a year later the faculty by special action, limited the 
right to draw books to teachers and students. 



314 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

The financial support of the library has never been flattering. The 
legislature of 1875 appropriated $725 for furniture and fixtures and 
$800 for books. In 1879 the appropriation was $1,000, which seems 
to have been the last until 1895. Meantime the board allowed 
occasional sums out of the maintenance fund amounting in all for 
this period of ten years to a little over $6,000. Some times a con- 
siderable part of the amount allowed was not spent. Out- of an 
allowance of $350 for 1874-75 the treasurer reported on hand a balance 
of $123.26, and out of $800 for 1875-6, $732.98. For 1877-8 the amount 
spent on the library was $54.95. In 1895 the legislature renewed its 
appropriations with the modest sum of $500. This was increased to 
$750 in 1899, to $1,000 in 1901 and to $1,500 in 1903. but reduced to 
$1,000 again in 1907. The legislature of 1909 raised the sum to $2,000, 
but the governor got the board to cover one half the sum back into 
the treasury to help out the prospective deficit. In 1881 the faculty 
voted to impose a 3''early fee of $1.00 on students for the benefit of the 
library, but, if ever enforced, it was not continued. In more recent 
time, in 1901 and again in 1906, they suggested this to the board, but 
the suggestion has not been approved. At times the fines imposed on 
users of the library have been about sufficient to pay for postage and 
stationery. It should be noted here, however, that the foregoing sums 
do not fairly represent the amounts available for books, especially for 
the last eight or ten years. Several of the departments spend the 
larger part of their maintenance funds for this purpose. 

At first the board selected a librarian out of the student body, 
H. G. Coors, of the junior class, serving in that capacity at $6.00 per 
month in the spring of 1875. During the year 1875-6 six different 
persons held this office. For 1876-7 H. M. Butler, a sophomore, was 
elected at $14.00 per month. The next year the board abolished the 
office for purposes of retrenchment. Some member of the faculty, or 
a student selected by them, was requested to open the library for two 
hours on Saturdays in order that students might have an opportunity 
to draw out books under such rules as the faculty might prescribe. 
In 1879 R. W. McFarlane, a freshman, was elected librarian and 
directed to keep the library open from 7 :30 to 8 :30 a. m., 12 :30 to 1 :30, 
and 3:45 to 4:45 p. m. Professor Conrad seems to have had charge 
most of the time after this until he left the university in 1885, though 



THE LIBRARY, MUSEUM AND LABORATORIES. 315 

in 1882 the board authorized the election of a librarian at not more 
than $10 per term. 

Beqinninc; with 1894 the board again took in hand the matter of 
electing- the librarian, designating a student, George Vaughan, to serve 
in that capacity. Judging from his report, he must have been an 
efficient officer. Since then they have demanded the whole time of the 
librarian, hence thev have gone outside of the student body in their 
selections. The following is a list of those who ha\e served in this 
capacity: 

Miss Julia Angelina Garside 1895-1896 

Miss Susie H. Spencer 1696-1900 

Miss Ada Pace 1900-1902 

Mrs. Neil Carothers 1902-1903 

Miss Ada Pace 1903-1907 

Mrs. Stella R. Lawrence 1907-1908 

Miss Martha Brownfield acting 1908-1909 

Mrs. M'ary Austin 1909- 

Few of these had had any special training for such work at the 
time of their election, though some of them secured such training as 
could be obtained in the summer months. As a matter of course they 
have had little trained assistance. In 1907 the board authorized the 
president to draw on the student labor fund for library help and since 
then three or four sttidents are employed every year. 

In 1891 a card catalogue was begun and has been continued at 
intervals since, but it is not yet finished. New books are now 
catalogued as they come in, but the library force is not sufficient 
to carry on the other work during the school year and they are not 
retained during vacation. The policy of excluding students from the 
stacks seems to have been kept up down to 1901. The seniors and 
juniors were then allowed "behind the railing" and the bars were 
soon thrown down to all collegiate students. This practice continued 
until 1910 when all except library attendants and professors were 
excluded from access to the shelves. The books and magazines during 
this period were on open shelves and were easily accessible to pro- 
fessors and students alike. In conseqitence there were many losses 
every year. 



316 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

For a number of years the library has been kept open during the 
scholastic year from 8 :30 a. m. to 5 p. m. For about a month in the 
fall of 1905 an experiment of keeping it open for three hours at night 
was made, but it was found that the expense was out of proportion to 
the number of students using it. 

Of the library in particular we should like to be able to give a debit 
and credit account, a balance sheet that should take account not 
merely of dollars spent and books added and lost, but of men and 
women also. But this is impossible until a better system of 
accounting is invented and put into use, not only here, but elsewhere as 
well. The number of volumes reported in 1884 was 2,120, with no 
accounting for pamphlets, so that the number had only a little more 
than doubled in ten years. At present the number exclusive of 
government publications is said to be 19,001 books and 5,500 
pamphlets, but this reckoning is made from the accession numbers 
and takes no account of losses, which have been considerable. The 
number now in the library probably will not exceed 15,000. Several 
of the departments have separate libraries, though their numbers are 
included in the above totals. The largest of these is that of the 
department of geology and mining, which reports 1,950 volumes and 
1,500 pamphlets. The experiment station library, comprising about 
2,316 volumes and 14,800 pamphlets, is not included in the total. The 
The library now has most of the government publications since 1875. 
In 1903 the legislature directed that duplicates of such publications 
then at the capital should be sent to the university. In this way and 
through the superintendent of public documents many of the earlier 
publications have been secured, though the set is far from complete. 

The library outgrew its present quarters years ago and some of 
the books are stored in the basement. Repeated calls have been made 
on the legislature for a library building but without avail so far. 

Concerning the men and women side of the account but little can 
be said. Not even the number of those using the library can be given, 
nor the number of books and pamphlets drawn out. However, there 
are many users, judging from the numbers to be seen there every da}^, 
and the number of worn out and lost books. It would be more 
interesting to know the benefit derived by the users, but no system 
of accurate measurement for this is known to the writer. 



THE LIBRARY, MUSEUM ANP LABORATORIES. 317 

Museum. 

The earliest notice of the museum dates back to 1877, when it was 
stated that the collection was still inconsiderable. The state geologist 
was required to forward duplicates of his collections. By the close of 
another five years the mineral collection had lieen considerably 
enlarged and five hundred animal specimens had been added. The 
legislature does not seem to have made any special appropriation for 
the museum previous to 1895, when it began with $500. This was 
increased to $1,000 in 1897 but dropped altogether in 1901. The 
appropriations since then have been as follows: 1903, $1,000; 1905, 
$700; 1907. $500; 1909, $500. Before the legislative appropriations 
were begun the board made occasional allowances for the museum. 
The collections have been made by the professors in charge of the 
department of geology, through gifts of private collections, purchase 
and exchange. 

By 1894 the following were reported: 

200 birds and murals, 80 species. 

200 reptiles and amphibians, 40 species. 

500 fishes, 150 species. 

100 insects and other invertebrates. 200 species. 18 skeletons. 

3.500 plants, 1,500 species. 

1,500 fossils, 230 species. 

150 specimens of rocks representing about 100 varieties of building 
and ornamental stone. 

There were also a few archaeological specimens. 

The winter vacation of 1894-5 was spent by the curator. Professor 
Purdue, in the service of the president of Stanford University and for 
remuneration he was given the privileges of the Seaside Laboratory 
where he collected about one hundred species of marine animals. 
Since then he has spent several vacations in the northwest where he 
took advantage of every opportunity to collect geological, zoological 
and botanical specimens. The private collection of Major F. F. Earle, 
formerly at Cane Hill College, was donated to the museum. The 
botanical and geological collection of Professor Harvey was bought 
soon after he left. The mineral collection has been increased from 



318 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

time to time until it now contains about three thousand specimens, 
representing the dififerent mineral groups. Besides these there are a 
number of geological relief and convex maps of some of the most 
interesting sections of the world's surface. 

The educative value of the museum is twofold. Though of modest 
pretensions as yet, it is of incalculable benefit to students in geolog}^ 
and mining, and zoology and botany. It is also of interest to the 
general public who, when visiting the university, always seek it out. 

The Laroratories. 

The laboratories, the real workhouse of the university can hardly 
be said to have kept pace with the needs of the institution, though 
they are attaining respectable dimensions. The first catalogue state- 
ment in regard to the laboratories was published 1873-4, when we learn 
that "The University will be supplied for the coming year with 
mathematical and philosophical apparatus and additions will be made 
to the chemistrv department, which is already in efficient operation." 
Just what the philosophical apparatus was the writer has not been 
able to determine. The mathematical apparatus probably had some 
connection with the work in engineering. The chemical laboratory 
seems to have been started first. 

Chemical Laboratory. 

To Professor T. L. Thompson, the first professor of chemistry, is 
due the inception of the chemical laboratory. The records show that, 
during the spring term of 1874, he spent $709.24 for chemicals — 
possibly a part of it for apparatus — and $146.66 for fixtures. He seems 
to have laid in a good supply, for the following year he spent only 
$8.40 out of an allowance of $.S00. In making their estimates for 1875-6 
the board became very liberal, allowing $1,500, but only $7.38 of this 
was spent. Out of the same allo\yance for 1876-7, $495.55 was spent 
for apparatus and chemicals ; the following year, $3.70. This was a 
period of rigid economy. Professors Harvey and Conrad were 
especially active in behalf of the chemical department and did what 
they could to build up the laboratory with the resources at their 
command. By 1888 the equipment was valued at $1,756. The largest 



THE LIBRARY, MUSEUM AND LABORATORIES. 319 

items were a gas machine, $480, gas fixtures, $200, balance, $225, and 
work benches $250. At the end of another six years the value of the 
laboratory had risen to only $2,276.83, but one t^ain had been made 
in moving- out of University Hall into a building constructed specially 
for chemistry and physics though it was only a temporary one 
constructed at a cost of $2,000. 

By this time the legislature had begun to make regular appropria- 
tions for the chemical department, starting with $1,000 in 1891, for 
the laboratory and $1,500 for the department. In 1895 the sum of 
$3,000 was appropriated for chemistry and physics, after this a little 
more than $1,500 on an average until 1905, when a new building was 
erected for chemistry alone at a cost of $10,000. One large room 
is used as a lecture room; the rest is devoted to the laboratories; 
they are provided Avith some of the best modern chemical apparatus 
for qualitatixe and (juantitative analysis, physical chemistrv and 
general chemistr}', and organic chemistry. 

For many }'ears all chemical work, that of tlie agricultural depart- 
ment as well as that of the science department, was done in one 
laboratory. Xow, however, the experiment station has a small 
laboratory of its own, occupying two rooms in the old agricultural 
building. 

AIechanic.al Engixekring. 

The laboratory of mechanical engineering has been specially 
favored both by the board and the legislature for two reasons. In the 
first place, to develop the mechanic arts was one main purpose of the 
founders of the university ; in the second place, it was possible to make 
the de])artmental laborator}- serve not only as a place of practice for 
students, but also to be ni material aid in maintaining the rest of the 
university. But as no very strenuous efi^orts were made to develop 
the mechanic arts jjrevious to the middle '80's, the mechanical 
laboratory may be said to date from that time, though a few things 
had been purchased before this which could be used by other depart- 
ments as well. 

The legislature of 1887 voted $7,000 for the mechanical department, 
machinery, etc. A beginning had already been made by the board 
with $2,500 a short time before this. No separate building having 



820 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

been providoJ the shops wore titled up in the south eutl of the 
basement of l'nt\ersit_\- ilalh The jar of the niaehiner}- and the smoke 
from the fuvuaees and fori;"os proxed \ery anuoviui;- to all aho\ e and 
the iusurauee companies askeil for hii^her rates. The next legislature 
api'iropriated vS3.000 for a shop building fi~>r the housing of the 
mechanical instruments and laboratory. r>y the close of IS'-H the 
laboratory alone was \alued at v$J.7ol. ddie most important itents in 
the list were a 30-horsepower Corliss engine, a oO.OOO-potmd tensile 
testing machine and a set of models of engines and pumps. IV^sides 
the ei|uipment of the wood shop was Aalued at $1,074.35, the forge shop 
and foundry at SI. 04*^^40. the machine shops at $423. o5, the drawing- 
room at S2, 012.55, and the power plant at S.^,oSo.50. As this was before 
the da\s of diA'ision, some of these things were used also 1\\- \\ hat are 
now separate departments. 

The legislature has ciMitinued its biennial appropriations, $3,(XX^ 
in 18^\\ $8.0CX) in 1S^^7 and an average of about $1,00(.^ a >ear since, 
though this has been barel}- enough to renew the engines and purchase 
additional ones and other instruments as needed. Se\ eral modern 
engines have been installed and the steam boilers used for heating for 
the universit\- building are made axailable for experimental work. 
l^esides these there are luany instruments commonly found in all such 
laboratories, bhe laboratory is now Aaltied at vSlo.OOO. 

C 1 \' 1 1 . 1\ X i; 1 X ki-:r i x g. 

This laboratory seems to have had its beginning in 1874. when a 
compass was bought of Professor Cra}- for S8i.00 and a "phantasma- 
goria" of A\". A. l>anks for 875.00. (."Jut of 81.000 alUnved for apparatus. 
$715.30 was on hand at the end of the year. After this the development 
seems to have been somewhat s1oa\-. Idie board was not specially 
liberal, giving SoOO in 188o which had to be shared with physics, and 
$150 in 18*-H. Xo legislatixe appropriation Avas made previous to 18*-^'*) 
when a beginning was made with 81,820. Since then the approjiriation 
for maintenance of the department ha\ e amounted to Sll.olo. a good 
portion of which has been used in purchasing instruments. At present 
the laboratorv is located in Engineering Hall and is equipped with 
some of the best modern instruments, such as engineers" transits autl 
Y IcN'cls, theodolites, transit A\ith solar attachment, compasses, a 



THE LIBRARY, MUSEUM AND LABORATORIES. 321 

sextant, aneroid and mercurial barometers. The laboratory for 
testing the materials of construction and for work in experimental 
hydrauHcs iiad machines for testing the fjuality and strength of 
cements and mortars, for testing' steel fa 4,00f)-])('jund tension machine 
and a 5,000-j)ound transverse machine), for testing- paving bricks and 
rn;ul nialcrial. anrl llie necessary instruments for ordinary experiments 
in hydraulics. The present value of the laboratory is $9,044. 

lu.i;'. Tkic.\L Engineering. 

The dcijartment (A electrical engineering is oue of the most recent 
ofifshoots, but the bfjard and legislature have been liberal in jjroviding 
for its laboratory. In 1X91 the board gave $1,385, the f(jllr)wing year, 
$1,200 and $3,000 in 1S93. 'ilie legislative approj^riations began w^ith 
$3,000 in 1899, dropped to $2,500 in 1901 and ran up to $5,305 in 1903 
and this has been the standard ever since. These funds are for the 
maintenance oi the department, but are expended mainly for laboratory 
material. f>y the close of 1894 the electrical labr^ratory was valued at 
$3,404.50. Since then it has grown steadily and has now attained very 
respectable dimensions. Without enumerating technical details, it is 
sufficient here to say that the lalxjratory is well enough equipped to 
enable students to make a wide range of experiments and attain skill 
and proficiency in operating electrical machinery. This laboratory 
also is of practical use to the university, being used to light a part of 
the university buildings. Its value is estimated at $15,000. 

PlI YS I Cy\L L Al?OR.\TOR I ES. 

The physical laboratory, like the department it represents, has 
been the step-child of the university and the younger brother of several 
departments. For a time it shared in the appropriations for 
chemistry, then in those for engineering. It was begun in 1875-6 
by l^rofessor Harvey, who secured an air pump and its accessories, a 
Holtz electric-static machine, and a galvanic battery. In 1894 the 
equipment was said to be worth $3,600 but entirely inadequate. Ten 
years later, now in charge of the department of electrical engineering, 
the equipment was pronounced very poor and in a bad state of 
preservation. In 1907 it at last found a home of its own in a temporary 



322 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

frame building only to be totally destroyed by fire two years later. 
It is now being- replenished with the meager funds available. 

Biological Laboratory. 

The laboratories of biology, geology, and mining- have been long- 
collecting-. Concerning- the last two it is unnecessar}' to add anything 
here in addition to the matter relating to the museum more than 
that they have the instruments necessary for experimental work. 
Until within the last few vears the appropriations were made to 
biology and geology so that the amount each received depended upon 
the professor in charge. The biological laboratory occupies the large 
room over the library in University Hall and is capable of accommo- 
dating about fortv students. It contains a large collection of insects, a 
number of skeletons and models for teaching- animal anatomy and an 
aquarium for keeping- aquatic animals. It is also well supplied with 
microscopes and microtomes. The value of this laboratory is now 
about $2,000. 

The Experiment Station Laboratories. 

The various departments of the Agricultural College and Experi- 
ment Station have embryonic laboratories, but the}' have made but 
little more than a beoinning. 




< 



CHAPTER XX. 



STUDEXT ACTIVITIES. 



Literary Societies. 

Judged by the numl)er of literary societies which have sprung up 
within her walls the University of Arkansas is a decidedly literary 
institution. But many of them have passed away. Some time during 
the year 1873 the hrst literary society of the institution was organized 
under the name "Clariosophic." Its clarion notes were heard until 
1878 when they ceased forever. 

For some reason eleven members of the Clariosophic became 
dissatisfied with their society and organized another in 1873 which 
they called Mathesian. I'his society is noteworthy as being the oldest 
now existing in the university and it has had something of a history, 
parts of which will be omitted or condensed here. It differed from the 
Clariosophic in that both boys and girls were admitted to membership. 
Perhaps it was this fact which led it into conflict with the trustees 
about the time of meeting. At first it met at night, but as this did not 
meet the approval of the board the time was changed to the afternoon. 
The sixth recitation hour was omitted on Friday from December to 
February for the benefit of the societies. This question being settled 
the members then fell to fighting among themselves and the girls 
expelled all the boys. Finding that the meetings were now far less 
interesting they soon relented and readmitted the boys, only to be 
themselves expelled as a reward. However, the boys soon discovered 
that it was not good to be alone and took back the girls. 

In the course of time the society fitted up an elegant room on the 
fourth floor of University Flail where it has held weekly meetings 
throughout its long career. It has also been mother to two other 
societies, the Grady for young men and the Sapphic for young ladies. 
The former has passed away, the latter still survives. The society has 
proved worthy of its motto : "F>y their fruits shall ye know them." 



326 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Some of the university's most disting'iiished alumni were once 
members of the jMathesian. 

Being- a mixed society the JMathesian has not been quite so strong" 
on debate as the societies composed of males alone. Its programs 
have been of a general nature. At times prizes have been offered to 
stimulate literary activity. In 1884 the society itself olTered two 
medals, one for the best oration by a freshman or sophomore member 
and one for the best essay b}' a female freshman or sophomore member. 
For a while Dr. A. S. Gregg and Professor G. W. Droke, both former 
members, offered prizes for the best oration and the best declamation 
by an}- member of the society. At commencement the society has 
often taken part in the program and has presented plays which were 
a credit to student histrionic art. 

Little is known of the Philomathean beyond the fact that it 
continued in friendlv rivalry with the ^lathesian until the session of 
1895-6. when it tinally succumbed. 

The earlv 'SO's seem to have been as prodiictive of societies as of 
degree courses. The Euphradian was born of college students in 
1880. but not even college students could sustain such a name and 
it died in about a year. The preparatory students had taken a step 
even more bold than this the year before when they org-anized the 
Phermakopton, Cleosophic, and Euandric. Nothing daunted by the 
early demise of these another effort was made in 1880-81 with the 
Kalligernan and Alethian. but all died in infancy. 

Profiting by these experiences the preparatory students waited a 
few years and then tried again, selecting- for a name that of an 
Arkansas statesman. The Garland Literary Society was org-anized in 
1886 and was named in honor of the Honorable Augustus H. Garland, 
sometime governor of Arkansas and the attorney-general in President 
Cleveland's cabinet. In 1908 the society gave twenty dollars to a 
fimd being- raised by the "Arkansas Gazette" for the purpose of erect- 
ing a monument at Mr. Garland's grave. 

Though organized by preparatory students the doors of the society 
were soon thrown open to all male students without reg-ard to class. 
The society has had a successful career, maintaining a large member- 
ship during a good part of this time and winning honors as will be 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 327 

recited belmv. Its object has always been to develop the power oi 
oratory, ari^unientation. and literary talent in general, and its programs 
have been planned with this end in view, btit special emphasis is laid 
on debate. Open programs ha\e been given annually for some time. 
In furtherance of the object to interest the members in public affairs a 
miniature legislature of two houses was organized in U^O" and the 
members thereby acquired considerable practice in parliamentary 
usage and legislative procedure. One member, D. E. Johnson, went 
out from the society to occupy a seat in the state legislature of 1909. 
Professor J. \\". Kuykendall once offered a medal to be contested for 
1)}" members of this society. For several years Professor G. A. Cole 
gave a medal to that member showing the greatest improvement in 
debate and Professor R. E. Philbeck oft'ered a prize for excellence in 
oratory. 

Representatives c^f the Garland have participated in the inter- 
society and intercollegiate debates since they were instituted in the 
uni\ersity. They won the Johnson Loving Cup in 1905, l':*06 and 1907 
and the Brough Debating prize in P>05, 1908 and l^'O'-l A representa- 
tive also captured the Bryan prize in 1905. The motto of the 
Garlands is ""Xulla \estig"ia retrorsa." 

The history of the Grady society is difficult to trace. It appears 
to have been organized in the spring of 18*^*5. In November of that 
year it was assigned to Room 44 in L^niversity Hall as a place of 
meeting. The following spring it was said by an enthusiastic admirer, 
perhaps a member, to be "the best that ever existed in the university." 
but its career soon ended. 

The next society to be organized was the Periclean. In the fall 
of U^OO four young men began to meet for the purpose of debate. They 
soon attracted others and in March, 1901, secured recognition from the 
faculty and were assigned a room for a regular meeting place by the 
board some time later. This society took oft" the Johnson Loving Cup 
in 1Q03 and 1^^04 and the P.rough prize in 1906 and 1907. 

The year U)0o-7 witnessed the organization of two more societies ; 
the Lee. formed in November, 1906, by a few young men who withdrew 
from the P'ericlean because they felt that its large membership did not 
allow sufficient opportunities to each member, and the Domosthenean, 
which came with the first robins in the spring of 1907. Still another. 



328 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

the Franklin, was organized in 1908. The motto of the Demosthenean 
is "Tarn Marte quam Minerva"^as much by courage as by skill. 
Membership is limited to twenty in order that all may have an 
opportunity to take a part in the weekly program. The Lee won the 
' Johnson Loving Cup in 1908. 

The Philotimesian was the first literary society organized in the 
university exclusively for girls. March 26, 1896, a few girls, feeling 
the need of such training as is acquired only in such societies, met to 
take the initial steps of organization. At the next meeting the name 
Philotimesian, a classic appellation suggested by Professor Shannon, 
was adopted. The charter members were : Misses Nelle Hunt, Minnie 
Baker, AHce Hoag, Minnie Gunter, Ollie Adams, Daisy Patterson, 
Gert Gunter, Ruby Washington, Florence Rosser, LilHan Bibb, Rose 
Leverett, and Winona Wiley. Having selected "Spectemur Agendo" 
as a motto, the Philotimesians started off with a flourish of trumpets, 
boasting that they stood upon no ancient ruins, but were a new 
organization and stood upon a stabler foundation of their own. For 
some reason, however, the foundation crumbled and the society 
disappeared. 

The only literary society now in existence for girls alone is the 
Sapphic, which was organized by the Mathesian January 12, 1906. Its 
purpose is "to give practice in parliamentary law, to stimulate a 
greater interest in literature and the fine arts and to cultivate the 
fellowship among its members, which is necessary to the right 
appreciation of college life." It is endeavoring to carry out this pur- 
pose under the motto "Paulo majora canamus." 

Intercollegiate Debates. 

The first intercollegiate debate ever engaged in by representatives 
of the university took place in 1896. The subject was the one then 
uppermost in politics, free silver, and the opponents came from the 
University of Missouri. The debate was held on home ground and 
was lost. In another encounter with the Missourians in 1899 — Drury, 
of Springfield, this time — the representatives of Arkansas had no better 
success. In 1903 arrangements were made for a debate with the 
University of Texas. 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 329 



The 3-ear 1906 witnessed the revival of interest in this work at the 
university. At this time arrangements were made with Southwestern 
University at Georgetown, Texas, for a series of three debates. Tn 
1907 arrangements were made with Drury College, the third in the 
series with Southwestern having been broken ofif, and later with Baylor 
University. W^aco, Texas, and the University of Oklahoma for 
meetings in the field of debate. The result of these debates, with the 
names of the debaters, was as follows : 

1906. Southwestern \be Collins and G. .A.. Hurst Lost 

1907. Southwestern A. J. Johnson and J. P. Woods Won 

1907. Drury ^Abe Collins and A. Starbuck Won 

1908. Oklahoma W. J. Jernigan and J. P. Woods Won 

1908. Drury O. E. Williams and J. J. DuLaney Won 

1909. Baylor D. L. Ford and J. G. Arnold Lost 

1909. Oklahoma A. E. Waterfield and A. P. Patton Lost 

1910. William Jewell J. E. Goodbar and M. P. Hatchett Lost 

1910. Baylor J. L. Bledsoe and" J. C. Ashley Lost 

Down to and including the debates of 1909 the representatives were 
chosen by the literary societies. Beginning with 1910 they will be 
chosen through a preliminary debate before the faculty. 

While these debates have aroused much interest among a few they 
have not been as potent for arousing general enthusiasm as could be 
wished. 

Clubs. 

Besides the formal literary societies there have been numerous 
clubs and societies whose objects were partly literary and partly 
social. The nearest approach to a scholarship societ}^ is the Torch 
Club, which was organized among the senior young ladies in 1908 
through the activity of Miss Jobelle Holcombe. dean of women. 
Members are elected in May of each year from the junior class, the 
eligibility being based on an average grade of E on the work done 
while in the university. The purpose of the club is to furnish an 
incentive to scholarship among the girls, to promote high ideals of 
womanhood, and to bring about closer relations among the young 
ladies of the graduating class. In furtherance of this end some 
attention is paid to the social side of life. The symbol of this club is a 
torch and the colors are red and black. 



:«0 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Several societies have sprung- up for the purpose of promoting 
study along certain lines. The Science and the Sociology clubs were 
organized in 1896. the former open to all students, the latter composed 
of professors, students, and citizens, but both came to an uniimely 
end. The Engineering Club, organized in U^Oo, and composed of 
teachers and students in technological subjects, still meets to read 
and discuss papers on subjects relating to engineering problems. A 
branch society of the .American Institute of Electrical Engiiteers was 
established at the university in 1904. It meets twice a month to read 
and discuss advance copies of papers to be presented to the Institute 
meetings in New York. Both these societies have undoubtedl} done 
much to stintulate interest in the subjects with which they deal. The 
Deutscher \>rein (U-04) and the Cercle h>ancais were organized to 
promote the study of German and Erench life and literature, 
respectivel}-. and especially to give practice in the spoken language. 
The English Club (1^'05) devotes itself to different phases of English 
philology. There is also an Agricultural Society (^1W6') whose 
object is sufficiently indicated by its title. 

The dramatic club is of recent origin, but gives promise of 
becoming a permanent institution of the university. In the spring of 
1908, under the direction and training of Mrs. AVillie A'^andeventer 
Crockett, ot the expression tlepartment. it presented "Twelfth Night'* 
at the Ozark theater in l'\iyette\ illo with marked success. 'Alerely 
Alary Ann" was put on the boards at the following commencement 
and afterwards presented at several ditTerent places in the state. Ai 
the commencement of I'^'O*^) ""The College \A idow" was presented to a 
house crowded to the doors. 

lust when the hrst glee club was organized at the \mi\ersity it 
wtuild be difficult to say. There was ime in existence in IS'-T and 
possibly at intervals after that. A\ lion Pr. C. G. Carroll came to the 
university, being of a musical turn, he at once began to take an interest 
in the matter and b}- U\>i-7 had ^vorked up a club \\ hich \ entured to 
appear before the public outside of l-'ayettcNille. The club has been 
under his direction ever since and has made tours of the State every 
year. 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 331 



Publications. 

The desire for a form of literary expression more permanent and of 
a wider scope than that to be had in the societies was reaHzed in 1893 
in the foundation of tlie "University Magazine;'' which changed its 
name two years later to "The Ozark." This was a monthly journal 
edited bv a board elected by the students. The board of trustees were 
asked bv the faculty to appropriate one hundred and fifty dollars in 
18*^)1 to aid in establishing- such a journal, but they seem to have taken 
no action until 1803. when they gave two hundred dollars on condition 
that the university be advertised. After the change of name it was 
supported by a stock company incorporated under the laws of the 
State. This control continued until 18^*^^^ when the management was 
turned over to the Mathesian and Garland societies. 

The greater part of the magazine was taken up with essays, poems, 
and stories, contributed by students, with an occasional paper by some 
of the professors. There were also a few pages devoted to editorials 
and news notes of university life. As college journals g'o, this one 
certainlv compared favoral)!} with its contemporaries and its demise 
in 1^01 was a distinct loss t(^ the university. 

The place of "The Ozark" can not be said to have been taken by the 
"University Weekly," which was started in 1906. It has made a place 
for itself hv giving gossipy news from week to week and more or 
less full accounts of important events of university life. 

In 1897 the students began the publication of annual called "The 
Cardinal," and it has been issued every year since with the exception 
of 1899. It is managed by a board from the junior class, but the 
legislature usuallv makes a small appropriation for its support. 

The question of allowing- credit for work done on the ]mblications 
has been presented to the faculty several times and the board has 
even favored granting- credit for meritorious work in the literary 
societies. In 1894 by special action, the editor was allowed to 
substitute work on the magazine for two hours of history. In 1897 a 
committee of the faculty was appointed to make general rules in 
regard to the matter and they did this by arranging a so-called elective 
one-hour course in English composition. To get credit for this one 
must present prose and poetry suitable for publication. The require- 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 333 



ments were, nine prose articles of at least 1,350 words each ; four 
articles or editorials amounting to at least 1,500 words; one poem of 
at least 500 words ; or three or fewer poems amounting to not less 
than 600 words as a substitute for a long composition. These papers 
were to be criticized by the teacher of English and receive a grade of 
G or higher. The course was open to all collegiate students. Even 
with this as a stimulus the editor still had to appeal for contributions. 
The credit was soon discontinued and a petition presented in Novem- 
ber. 1902, for credit for work done on the "Weekly" was denied. 

Prizes. 

Medals, prizes, and honors have been offered by the board, the 
faculty, societies, and individuals almost since the foundation of the 
university for the purpose of stimulating endeavor in literature, science 
and oratory. The custom seems to have begun in 1876 when two 
medals were offered to be contested for at commencement by four of 
the sophomore class. For one year (1881) Dr. J. F. Simonds offered a 
prize of twenty-five dollars for the best reader in the preparatory 
department. Beginning about 1882 it was for a while the custom of 
the faculty to award a place on the commencement program to the 
two juniors standing highest in their class. They were expected to 
deliver orations. For several years after this elocution, oratory, and 
debate seem to have been their own reward, except for such prizes 
as were offered by the literary societies. Since 1903 Dr. W. S. Johnson 
has offered a loving cup to be contested for by representatives of the 
literary societies. The same year Professor J. W. Carr offered a 
prize for the best reading from Shakespeare. Since 1905 Dr. C. H. 
Brough has offered a prize of twenty dollars for excellence in debate 
which is open to the members of the literary societies. It is contested 
for in a preliminary impromptu debate and in a prepared debate at 
commencement. In 1907 the Hon. Otis Wingo instituted a prize of 
ten dollars for excellence in declamation. In addition to these, prizes 
have been offered at times by or through special societies for their 
own members. 

The prizes offered for essays have not been numerous, and the 
primary object of many of those offered has been to stimulate interest 
in some other field than that of English literature. In 1877 a prize 



334 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

of fifteen dollars was offered by the board for the best essay on public 
schools. Two years two members of the board offered prizes of 
twenty-five and ten dollars for the best essay on the agricultural 
resources of the state. From 1877 to 1885 Mr. B. H. Stone offered a 
medal valued at twenty-five dollars for the best essay written by any 
student of the university, the subject to be selected by the faculty. 
From 1885 to 1891 there do not seem to have been any prizes or 
honors except such as were offered by or through the literary societies. 
Beginning- with the establishment of the "University Magazine" in 
1893, a prize of twenty-five dollars was offered a few years for the 
best contribution to that publication. In 1900 the Hon. W. J. Bryan 
donated the income of a lecture, amounting to two hundred and fifty 
dollars, as an endowment for a prize. This prize may be competed 
for by seniors and juniors whose grades have been G or above in more 
than half their work. The subjects for the essay must relate to some 
problem of government and are selected in alternate years by the 
departments of economics and sociology and history and political 
science. In 1902 Messrs. Trezevant and Cochran of Dallas, Texas, 
offered a prize of fifty dollars for the best essay on fire insurance. 
Since that time several prizes have been offered by different individuals 
and companies for essays on some phase* of insurance. 

A few prizes have been offered from time to time for the purpose 
of- stimulating activity in pure and applied science. For two years 
(1878 and 1879) Professor F. L. Harvey offered three prizes, one for 
the best collection of state plants numbering at least one hundred and 
fifty, one for the best collection of reptiles over twenty in number, 
and one for the best considerable collection of geological specimens of 
Washington Count}^, Arkansas. About the same time Messrs. D. 
Appleton and Company of New York were offering a prize of twenty- 
five dollars to be awarded the senior with the highest average in 
mathematics for the entire four-year course. For one year (1883) a 
member of the board endeavored to stimulate interest in geology by 
a prize of twenty-five dollars. The prizes intended to stimulate 
interest in agriculture (1894) have been detailed elsewhere. 

A few stimulants to general scholarship have been offered in the 
form of "honors." Beginning with 1892 and running for several years 
the graduate standing highest in the three colleges at Fayetteville were 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 335 

to receive respectively "honors in arts," "honors in science," and 
"lionors in ent^inecrin^'," provided in each case the averai^e grade did 
not fall below 85. The students receiving these distincticjns were 
allowed to deliver speeches or read essays on commencement day. 
Beginning with 1895 students who had attained a grade of E in work 
aggregating at least fifty-five hours were granted degrees "with special 
distinction," those with the same grade in thirty-five iiours' work or 
G in fifty-five hours were graduated "with distinction." In 1897 the 
reciuirements were lowered to fifty and thirty-two hours respectively. 
The custom was dropped in 1903. 

The Honor System. 

In 1904 the faculty were asked by some students to give their 
approval to the organization of an honor league and they did so. The 
object of this league was to enforce the honor system on examinations 
at the university. The league continued its activity for five years, but 
with onlv moderate success. The failure of the system was ascribed 
in part to the supposed secrecy of its membership and the star-chamber 
nature of its trials. 

In 1910 a new system was inaugurated by almost unanimous vote 
of the student body. According to the constitution then adopted a 
jury was selected by the presidents of each class, consisting of four 
seniors, three juniors, two sophomores, and one freshman, both boys 
and girls and fraternity and non-fraternity men being represented. 
Any student who sees cheating is to report the case, with evidence, to 
this jury. If, after investigation, the jury thinks the evidence warrants 
a trial, they cite the accused and give him a trial, confronting him 
with witnesses and evidence. 

GREEK LETTER FRATERNITIES. 

Kappa Sigma. 

The first Greek letter fraternity to enter the university of Arkansas 
was the Kappa Sigma, which established Xi chapter on the night of 
May 29, 1890, by the initiation of three members, John C. Futrall, 
W. A. Crawford, and C. C. Miller. Dr. Charles Richardson, an 



336 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

alumnus of Omicron chapter at Emory and Henry College, who was 
residing- at Favetteville, officiated. A week later W. S. Goodwin and 
G. B. Pugh were initiated. Some time after this S. M. Purdy was 
initiated and the chapter closed the year with six members. In 1891 
the membership was increased to twelve, but only one new member 
was received the following- year and in 1893 the chapter lapsed 
because none of the members were in school. In 1894, however, 
George Vaughan returned and, by vigorous work, raised the member- 
ship to nine by June and to twenty by the close of the year. 

In 1896 a new departure was made in the initiation of a student 
in the law department, the chapter going to Little Rock for this 
purpose. Three other law students were received soon after this. 

Sigma Alpha Epsilon. 

The next fraternity in the order of their establishment was the 
Sigma Alpha Epsilon, which established the Alpha Upsilon chapter 
at the university July 9, 1894, by the initiation of sixteen men. All 
of these were said to be "full of jest and j^outhful jollity" as well as 
being men devoted to their studies. The names of the charter 
members follow: James D. Head, John C. Bell, Charlie D. Adams, 
William E. Boyd, William M. Fishback, Jr. ; Elbert L. Watson, Louis 
R. Ash, Robert T. Pittman, Richard B. Irvin, Jubal E. Beavers, Henry 
H. Rightor, Edgar E. Moberly, George Nicholls, Carl P. Barnett, 
Oscar M. Gates, John M. Kelso, Jr. and Edward L. Mock. The 
organization of the chapter was due to the activity of Mr. George 
Bunting, who was acquainted with one man at the university, and 
by means of correspondence secured the organization of the band 
which applied for the charter. Alpha Upsilon chapter has initiated 
one hundred and sixty men. The average membership is about 
nineteen. 

Kappa Alpha. 

The Kappa Alpha fraternity entered the university April 27, 1895, 
by the initiation of eight members who then constituted Alpha 
Omicron chapter. Claude O'Neal of William Jewell College performed 
the work of installation. The charter members were : J. F. Summers, 
R. Shaha, C. J. Drees, J. H. Parker, J. H. Godrey, A. M. Brixley, J. L. 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 337 



Campbell, and E. L. Spencer. Within a year eight new members 
were initiated but there were only eleven active members at the end 
of the year. The total number of initiates since organization is one 
hundred and twenty-one. The average membership has been about 
seventeen. A chapter house was occupied in September, 1909, for the 
first time. 

Sigma Chi. 

October 23, 1902, a number of students organized themselves 
under the name of the Indian Club and immediately decided to petition 
the Sigma Chi fraternity for a charter. The club met with many 
reverses and disappointments, but kept up its organization and 
initiated new members. The prayer for a petition was finally granted 
and Omega Omega chapter was installed September 16, 1906. The 
charter members were: E. C. Catts, L. L. Campbell, C. C. Hillman, 
R. G. Stacy, Garland Hurt, G. D. Chunn, J. C. McDonald, R. R. 
Pritchett, A. L. Russell, C. H. Sheppard, D. F. McKean, J. P. Streepy, 
C. H. Stotts, D. F. Milner. J. M. Semms, T. D. Elder, E. V. Leverett, 
and C. F. Mercer. The total membership is fifty-three. The average 
active membership has been about nineteen. In 1908 a large dwelling 
near the campus was rented and has been used as a chapter house 
ever since. 

Pi Kapa Alpha. 

The Alpha Zeta chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha was organized at the 
University of Arkansas November 19, 1904, and was the outgrowth 
of a local organization called Alpha Phi which was about a year old 
at the time of its absorption. The chapter was established by N. T. 
Wagner and G. A. Penick, who were then in the government service 
at Tahlequah. A fine example of the pan-hellenic spirit was mani- 
fested in connection with this work. Believing that a chapter of his 
fraternity should be established at the university Mr. Penick wrote to 
a friend here who was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and asked 
him to recommend a man to undertake the work of organization. 
The local Alpha Phi was recommended with the results already 
indicated, though the national council hesitated for a while to grant 
the charter because of the anti-fraternity feeling then supposed to be 
dominant. The charter members were: Samuel G. Davies, Lloyd R. 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 339 



Ryrne, Ashleii^ii P. lioles, John W. Trigg-, W. S. Fuhrman, J. Q. 
Blackwood, Arthur C. Parker, M. L. Reinberger, FT. Rush Smith, and 
W. E. Thompson. I'lie entire membership of the chapter is tliirty, of 
whom fourteen arc acti\'e members at this writing. This chapter 
was instrumental in installing Alpha Iota at Millsaps College. 

Sigma Nu. 

In 1902 a body of petitioners organized themselves under the name 
of the Owl Club. In the fall of 1903 they changed the name to Alpha 
(iamma and under this name sent in a petition to the general officers 
of the Sigma Nu fraternity. The charter asked for was granted and 
Gamma Upsilon chapter was installed December 21, 1904, by four 
men from the Missouri School of Mines. The charter members were: 
W. T. Fields, William Glover, Thomas E. Trigg, R. D. Mesler, J. R. 
Bloom. P. R. Booker, E. C. Boles, Hal Green, F. A. Tillman, J. T. 
Watson, T. C. Mullins, P. S. Seamans, J. R. Hurst, Gordon Vaulx and 
H. F. Westbrook. In all fifty-six men have been initiated. At the 
time of this writing there are eight active members. In 1908 a large 
residence was rented as a chapter house and all the active members 
who are not residents of the town live there. 

This fraternity was founded January 1, 1869, at the Virginia 
Military Institute by six men, two of whom now live in Arkansas, a 
fact of which the Gamma Upsilon chapter is proud. These men are 
Major Greenfield Ouarles, of Helena, and Mr. James F. Hopkins, of 
Mabelville. 

Sigma Phi Epsilon. 

Arkansas Alpha Chapter of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity was 
installed in the University of Arkansas October 2, 1907, by the Grand 
President, N. R. Cooney, with the following men as charter members : 
J. J. James, C. E. Goodner, T. D. Williamson, C. H. Woodrufif, J. W. 
Baxter, W. S. Morgan, Earl Witt, G. F. Jones, W. S. Ross, L. R. 
Plemmons, T. M. Plasson, J. I. Pitchford. The total number of 
initiates January 1, 1910, was thirty. The average membership has 
been ten men. A chapter house was occupied in 1908-'09. 



340 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

SORORITIES. 

Chi Omega. 

The following account of the founding- of the Chi Omega is taken 
from "The Ozark," May-June, 1896 : 

In the spring of '95 four young women, becoming interested in fraternity work, 
formed among themselves a Httle club which they dignified with the name of a 
Greek letter fraternity, or rather "sorority." 

However, the novelty of this soon wore away, and they were eager to try 
something new, when one evening Dr. Chas. Richardson, a staunch fraternity man, 
offered to draw up for them a charter in regular form, and to provide them with 
a constitution and ritual, so that they might be a fraternity in reality, and not in 
name only. The young women were enthusiastic at once, and a few days later 
Misses Holcombe, '98; Vincenheller, Boles, '98, and Simonds, '96, were enrolled as 
charter members of the mother chapter, Psi, of Chi Omega Fraternity at the 
University of Arkansas. 

Their first regular meeting was held on April 9, '95, and on the 20th Misses 
Allen, Beattie, Davies, Remy and Wood were initiated. 

At the end of the following year there were twenty-two members, 
one of whom was Miss Ida Pace, an associate professor in the faculty. 
Since then the local chapter has maintained a vigorous life and has 
expanded into other fields. In consequence there are now fourteen 
alumnae chapters and twenty-four active chapters, the latter being 
located in schools of collegiate grade from Colby College, Maine, 
to the University of Washington, and from the University of Michigan 
to the Woman's College at Tallahassee, Florida. For several years 
Chi Omega has been a member of the Woman's National Pan- 
Hellenic Conference, an enter-sorority organization of representatives 
from the national sororities in the United States. The prominence 
of Chi Omega in this work is due mainly to two alumnse of Psi 
chapter, Miss Jobelle Holcombe, representative in the Woman's Pan- 
Hellenic Conference, and Airs. A. H. Purdue, the grand president of 
the sorority. 

Chi Omega has always encouraged scholarship and high social 
standards. To promote scholarship the governing council ofifers 
yearly a silver loving cup to the chapter having the highest scholastic 
standing. It also secures from the college authorities a report of the 
condition of the respective chapters on the following points: (1) 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 341 



scholarship ; (2) cooperation in college enterprises ; (3) interest in the 
Y. W. C. A. ; (4) social standards. 

Zeta Tau Alppia. 

Epsilon chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha was established at the 
University of Arkansas January 16, 1904, with the following- charter 
members: Mrs. Bess (Kell) Rose, Mrs. Bess (Byrnes) Dritt, Mrs. 
Mable (Sutton) Wasson, Mrs. Delia (McMillan) Jackson, Miss Grace 
Jordan, Miss Hattie Williams, and Miss Margaret Hutchinson. Only 
four of these graduated. Epsilon chapter has enrolled seventy-three 
members, twenty-one of whom have graduated from the university. 
The average membership of the chapter is about fifteen. 

Pi Beta Phi. 

February 8, 1906, the Gamma Epsilon Delta, a local sorority, was 
organized at the university with the following charter members : 
Misses Barbara Davis, Lytta Davis, Elizabeth Winters, Stella Hight, 
Beulah Williams, Mary Campbell and Madge Campbell. From their 
first organization it was their intention to apply for a charter from the 
Pi Beta Phi sorority. When their application was made it was backed 
by written recommendations from every fraternity and sorority in the 
university. Beginning in March, 1907, several members of the 
governing council of Pi Beta Phi visited the society with a view to 
passing upon their application. During the year 1908-9 the members 
of Gamma Epsilon Delta occupied a part of the Arkansas Building 
as a chapter house. Among outsiders who have taken great interest 
in building up the sorority may be mentioned Mrs. W. N. Gladson, a 
member of Pi Beta Phi, Mrs. James Bohart, Mrs. Joe Harrison, Mrs. 
A. I. Moore, and Mrs. Will Hight. The petition for a charter was 
finally granted and the members of the Gamma Epsilon Delta were 
initiated into the mysteries of Pi Beta Phi December 29, 1909, by 
Miss May Heller, of the Woman's College, Baltimore, Mrs. Nathan 
Merriam, of Fort Smith, Mrs. Hugh Branson, of Nowata, Oklahoma, 
and Mrs. R. C. Gilbert, of Siloam Springs. The charter members were: 
Mary Campbell, Mrs. Barbara (Davis) Olney, Lyta Davis, Nelle 
Wilson, Ovid Barrett, Josephine Dubs, Sunshine Fields, Elizabeth 
Nichols, Mary Shannon, Claire Norris, Wanda Richards, Mary Droke, 



342 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Bess Graham, Sula Fleeman, Ruth Jennings, Margaret Stuckey, 
Lillian Wallace, Ruth Wood, Mildred Gregg, Sallie Pope, Susie Moore, 
Hazel Gladson, Lucy Nichols, Victoria Vogel, and Madge Campbell. 
Only fifteen of these are active members. Four other active members 
of Gamma Epsilon Delta, Aurelle Burnside, Bess Carnall, Ruby 
Gotham, and May Pittman, w^ere unable to be present at the installa- 
tion of the chapter. 

Christian Associations. 

Some time during the year 1880-1 a Young Men's Christian 
Association was organized among the students at the university, with 
the following officers : G. W. Droke, president ; R. R. Moore, vice- 
president ; O. C. Bates, secretary, and T. F. Gates, treasurer. In the 
course of the year twenty-one members were enrolled, including 
members of the faculty and citizens of the town. The following year 
the membership more than doubled, reaching forty-eight, but after 
this there was a decline and the association practically ceased to exist 
in a few years. Ten years later (1895) it was reorganized and given 
quarters in the South Dormitory where a class in Bible study met 
Sunday evenings, but again there was a decline. In the spring of 
1902 there was a second reorganization under the direction of Mr. J. L. 
Schoolfield, state secretary, beginning with seventeen members who 
soon secured a charter and made the association a branch of the 
national organization. For a time the growth was slow, but persistent 
and heroic effort was crowned with success. When Professor J. H. 
Reynolds entered the faculty in the fall of 1902 he at once took an 
interest in the association and gave valuable assistance in putting it on 
its feet. Professor G. W. Droke, the first president of the first 
association back in 1882 was also here as a teacher and gave his 
help. In 1905 a regular secretary was secured in the person of Mr. 
Ernest Given Howe who served until 1907. He was succeeded by 
Mr. B. W. Dickson who served until 1909 when he resigned to 
continue his studies at Yale. The present secretary is Mr. L. H. 
Gardner, who entered on his duties in the fall of 1909. 

For some time the association has been a strong force in university 
life. Commodious quarters were secured in the basement of the left 
wing of University Hall, where they now have an assembly hall, 
committee rooms, and an office and reading room. Several Bible 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 343 



Study classes are maintained under student leaders and are well 
attended, with an average attendance of about one hundred and 
twenty-five. During the year 1908 two young men decided to enter 
the ministry. The membership of the association has gone beyond 
two hundred. For several years it has managed a lecture course and 
has brought to the university some of the best talent on the American 
platform. 

In September, 1904, a young Women's Christian Association was 
organized at the university by Mrs. Beauchamp, of Little Rock. It 
began with twelve members, but enrolled sixty before the close of the 
year. Miss Beulah Williams was the first president. The association 
has been active and vigorous ever since and now has a regular 
secretary. Miss Elva Sly. It has an assembly room in Carnall Hall. 

Both associations have taken an active interest in missions and 
have maintained volunteer bands. In 1908 there were nine members 
of this band, said to be more than at all the denominational colleges of 
the State combined. 

Athletics. 

Athletics worth while can not be said to have had a very long 
history at the university though an athletic association was formed 
in 1893 "to foster and encourage the growing interest which the 
student body is manifesting in the development of the physical man." 
It was composed of the Athletic Club, the Tennis Club, the Baseball 
Club, and the Football Club. Each member of the association except 
the Football Club was required to give an exhibition each term under 
the supervision of the governing council, which was composed of two 
members of the faculty and the presidents of the different clubs. 

During the latter '90's games began to be played away from the 
university by the football and baseball teams, though they can hardly 
be styled intercollegiate as most of them were not with college teams. 
The results were not altogether satisfactory and considerable 
opposition was developed among some of the higher powers, but the 
games continued. In 1901 the faculty devised stricter rules to 
determine who should participate in the games. No one not a 
bona fide student doing full work was to be allowed to play on any 
team representing the university. No "professionalism" was allowed 
and no student deficient in his studies was to be allowed to play. 




o 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 345 

There was a faculty committee on athletics whose duty it was to see 
that the rules were enforced. 

These rules remained unchanged for several years and apparently 
unenforced for a part of the time. In March, 1905. the faculty 
instructed the committee on athletics to see that they were enforced. 
Each professor was required to report every ^Monday, during the 
athletic season, the standing of each member of his classes who was a 
candidate for or playing on any of the teams. Delinquent students 
must be dropped from the team if they did not make good after two 
weeks' warning. A month later this action was rescinded and the 
faculty committee on athletics was now required to get a list of the 
players, look into their grades at the middle and end of each month 
and report to the faculty such cases as they thought required such 
action. Any student failing in over one half his work for any term 
should not be allowed to take any part in athletics the following 
term, unless his deficiencies were made up. The rules still stand, 
but have not been fully enforced. 

Nothing like any adequate provision for the exercise of athletics 
was ever made until the "90's when the athletic field was laid off in the 
southwest corner of the campus and a grandstand was erected. In 
1902 the barns were moved west of the street in order to make 
possible the enlargement of the field. Seven vears later the whole west 
end of the campus was turned into the field and work was begun on a 
track. The trustees have shown their interest in the subject by 
making small appropriations several times. In 1907 they authorized 
the president to draw upon the contingent fund for this purpose. In 
recent years attempts have been made to put the athletics of the 
university on a better basis. One step in this direction was the 
employment of a coach for the training of the teams, which was begun 
recently. In 1908 the coach, designated director of athletics, was 
required to reside at the university all the year and was admitted to 
the faculty. 

Student Customs.* 

Customs distinctively peculiar to the students of the University of 
Arkansas are comparatively recent in their origin. Fifteen or 



* The authors are indebted to Mr. J. J. DuLaney for the matter in this section. 



346 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

twenty years ago, owing to the small number of students and absence 
of intercollegiate relations scarcely any special customs prevailed. 
Yells and class songs existed, but there were no peculiar exhibitions of 
college spirit except what was manifested in enthusiasm at athletic 
games or in nocturnal college pranks. Most of the customs now in 
vogue have grown up within the last eight or ten years. During this 
time the enrollment of the university has almost doubled, and frequent 
relations with other colleges and universities have been influential in 
establishing new customs and practices. 

For several years the graduating class has been given a day 
during commencement week, known as Class Day on which the 
seniors give a program consisting of class oration, prophecy, history, 
poems, etc. 

Of all class days perhaps "pennant day" is the best known and the 
most enjoyable. It originated in March, 1903, as a holiday given to 
the junior and senior classes. At first the seniors placed their 
pennant on a pole and the juniors accepted the implied challenge to 
take it down and furl theirs instead. A general class struggle 
followed sometimes accompanied with violence and personal injury. 
After a year or two this class fight was discontinued by faculty orders, 
but the holiday is still granted. On pennant day these two classes 
are excused from recitations. In the morning they attend chapel and 
make the hall ring with yells and class songs. Afterwards for an hour 
or more they promenade the corridors and with yells, songs and diverse 
noises they annoy the professors, who are valiantly struggling to 
impart knowledge to the absent-minded lower-classmen. Next the 
juniors and seniors repair to one of the literary society halls where a 
short joint program is given. The next feature is laying the concrete 
block in the walk in front of University Hall. On this slab the 
names of the graduates with the year is engraved. The first slab was 
laid in 1905. The next in order is planting the senior tree on the 
campus with appropriate ceremony. This custom began in 1907. In 
the afternoon the two classes play a game of baseball and the day's 
festivities close with a joint banquet at night. 

On the first of May, the juniors and seniors are entertained at the 
home of the president of the university. 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 347 



Hazing at the university has never assumed the serious aspect that 
it has at some colleges. In recent years it has taken the form of a 
friendly "reception" to the new boys at the dormitories. At the first 
of the year the new men are taken out and marched over the city, 
and given exercises in military tactics, singing, yelling, dancing and 
such "stunts" which the old men think will be helpful to them later on. 

On March 17, 1909, the engineering students of the university 
inaugurated the custom of observing St. Patrick's day as a holiday 
for engineers. They go out upon the field with all the paraphernalia 
of engineers as is befitting a celebration in honor of their patron saint. 
This feature attracts special attention to that department and will 
doubtless remain a fixed custom. 

Another custom, not peculiar to this university, is the "night 
shirt" parade given by the boys when an athletic victory is won. It 
usually ends with a bonfire on the campus. 

The University Song. 

In 1909 a prize of fifty dollars was offered for the best poem 

relating to the University of Arkansas which should be capable of 

being set to music and used as a college song. In a long list of 

competitors the prize was awarded to Mr. Brodie Payne, '06, of Hot 

Springs. The words were set to music by Professor H. D. Tovey 

and are given below. . ,, 

^ Alma Mater. 

Pure as the dawn on the brow of thy beauty 
Watches thy soul from the mountains of God 
Over the Fates of thy children departed 
Far from the land where their footsteps have trod. 
Beacon of Hope in the ways dreary lighted ; 
Pride of our hearts that are loyal and true ; 
From those who adore unto one who adores us — 
Mother of Mothers, we sing unto you. 

We, with our faces turned high to the Eastward 
Proud of our place in the vanguard of Truth, 
Will sing unto thee a new song of thanksgiving — 
Honor to God and the Springtime of Youth. 
Shout for the victor or tear for the vanquished; 
Sunshine or tempest thy heart is e'er true ; 
Pride of the Hills and the white-laden Lowlands — 
Mother of Mothers, we kneel unto vou. 



348 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Ever the Legions of Sin will assail us, 

Ever the Battle in Cities afar; 

Still in the depths will thy Spirit eternal 

Beckon us on like a piloting Star. 

Down the dim years do thy dead children call thee, 

Wafted to sleep while the Springtime was new ; 

We, of the Present, thy Hope of the Future — 

Mother of Mothers, we pray unto you. 

Dormitories. 

Like everything else at the university, the dormitories had small 
beginnings. As soon as University Hall was ready for class-room 
work the old frame building which had been used for that purpose was 
turned over to students. About thirty or forty students stayed there 
and "kept bach," each securing his own provisions, cooking them and 
looking after his own room. As the rooms were large three or four 
generally clubbed together in this. The faculty exercised some 
supervisory control by sending one of their number occasionally to 
inspect. 

In 1885 it was deemed better to have a superintendent on the 
ground and Professor Howell was designated to reside in the 
dormitory. A cook was now employed and a common mess hall 
instituted for all. The superintendent's powers were very much 
limited by the fact that the self-governing features were retained. To 
dismiss a boy from the dormitory required a two-thirds vote, in 
consequence it was difficult to maintain discipline. This system 
proving a failure, the superintendent was given dictatorial powers 
and the results justified the change. Professor Murfee succeeded 
Professor Howell, and, on becoming president, he was in turn suc- 
ceeded by Professor Droke. After two or three years of service Pro- 
fessor Droke resigned, but was induced to take up the work again in 
1894, being paid $30 a month in addition to his regular salary, but 
resigned again in November. The president solicited candidates for the 
position. Volunteers were slow in offering, but Professor Cole was 
finally induced to accept. After repeated efforts to keep up this 
. system it was finally abandoned, apparently not because it was bad 
for the students, but because unpleasant for the member of the faculty 



STUDENT ACTIVITIES. 349 



on whose shoulders the responsibility fell. More of the responsibility 
was thrown upon the matron and this system, with some modifications, 
has been followed ever since. 

The students, not being altogether satisfied with their exclusion 
from the management, petitioned in 1901 for self-government. This 
was finally granted in providing for a committee of seniors to act 
with the matron in making rules, enforcing discipline, and in the 
purchase of supplies. For awhile the matron collected and disbursed 
the funds, but this was soon turned over to a student. The matron 
and the senior commitee were especially charged with the good order 
of the dormitories, and were authorized to inflict penalties ranging 
from fines to dismissal from the dormitory. The board at one time 
(1904) directed that the commandant should have general supervision, 
their intent being to place the dormitories on a military basis similar 
to that in vogue at West Point, but this does not seem to have been 
carried out. So far the senior committee and the matron have managed 
afi^airs in a reasonably satisfactory manner and have succeeded in 
giving board cheaper than could be obtained at private boarding 
houses. However, until recent years, no room rent whatever was 
charged, the student simply paying for his heat, lights and board. 
Now he pays $5.00 a year which goes into the repair fund. While 
something has been accomplished in cheapening board, the greatest 
problem, that of making a home, can not be said to have been fully 
solved. 

When the girls' dormitory was erected the board of trustees 
authorized the president to designate as many as four of the lady 
teachers to board there, the intent being to make them share with the 
matron the responsibility for good discipline. 

The accommodations were enlarged in 1888 by the erection of a 
new dormitory — since named Buchanan Hall — of Hill Hall in 1901 and 
Gray Hall in 1905-6. The accommodations now are sufficient for 
about 285. The applications are always in excess of the room avail- 
able. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



SKI'rrCllI'LS OF TRUSTJ-JuS and h^ACULTY. 



I. TRUSTEES EX-OFFICK). 

Elisha Baxter was horn in RulIicTford County, \f)rth Carolina, 
September 1, 1827. lie had few educational advantat^es. In 1848 he 
en^ai^ed in the mercantile business at Rutherford, Xf)rth Carolina, but 
gave up his business in 1852 
and came t(j Arkansas, in 
18 5 3 he and his brother 
opened a business at ]>ates- 
ville, Arkansas. This firm 
failed in 1855 and he entered 
a ])rintin<4- office. lie soon 
left tliis and took u]) the 
study of law. lie vv a s 
admitted to the bar in 1856. 
In 1854 he was elected 
to the state 1 e t( i s 1 a t u r e, 
and ai^ain in 1858. In 1859 
he formed a law partner- 
sliip witli J a m e s I f i n d s, 
which cf)ntinucd until the 
opening- of the Civil War. 
W'Ikii the stru^■|L;■le came on 
he adhered to the cause of 

the Union, and for this rea- 

son lie joined (leneral Curtis '•'-'''-'^^ Baxter, 

at Jacksonport. He was offered a position as colonel in the first 
Arkansas regiment, but declined because of his southern birth. In 1863 
he left Arkansas and went to Missouri, where he was made a j)risoner 
by the Confederate cavalry. He was paroled by Colonel Newton 
and re(|uired to return to Arkansas and report to General Horner. 




352 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

When he reported he was committed to jail for treason against 
the Confederacy, but he escaped. After this experience he cast 
his lot with the Union and raised a regiment which was known 
as the 4th Arkansas mounted infantry. He reported for duty and 
was placed in command of the post at Batesville. In 1864 he resigned 
his command in the regiment and was elected to the supreme court. 
After the close of the war he was elected to the United States Senate 
but was refused admission. He then returned to Batesville and 
resumed the practice of law in 1865. He continued his practice until 
1868 when he was made register in bankruptcy of the first Con- 
gressional district. In the same year he was appointed judge of the 
third judicial district, which position he held until 1872, when he was 
elected governor of Arkansas. After serving one term he returned to 
Batesville and resumed the practice of law. The chief events of his 
administration were the increasing of the number of Congressional 
districts to five ; creation of the counties of Baxter, Clayton, Garland, 
Faulkner, Lonoke, Howard, Dorsey, Lee, and Stone ; a provision for 
a better system of public schools ; and the Brooks-Baxter war. In 
1849 Governor Baxter married Miss Harriet Patton in Rutherford 
Count}^, North Carolina. There were born of this marriage six 
children, the eldest of whom was born in North Carolina, the others 
in Arkansas. Their names are Millard P., who became a merchant in 
Batesville ; Edward A., a physician at Melbourne ; Catharine M., who 
is the wife of Newton M. Alexander; George E., Hattie O., and 
Fannie E., the last of whom died in 1873, at the age of two years. 



James Henderson Berry was born in Jackson County, Alabama, 
May 15, 1841, son of James M. and Isabella (Orr) Berry. In 1848 he 
came with his parents to Carroll County, Arkansas, and settled in the 
locality which took its name from the family and grew into the town 
of Berryville. His education was received in the country schools and 
the Berryville Academy where he spent ten months. He then clerked 
in a store for a while. At the outbreak of the Civil AA^ar he joined the 
16th Arkansas infantry and was commissioned second lieutenant. At 
the battle of Corinth, Mississippi, he lost a leg. After the close of 
the war he taught school at Ozark, Arkansas, and studied law 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



353 



whenever he could borrow a l)ook. W'ithout the help of any instructtir 
he managed to procure license to practice in October, 1866. The same 
year he was elected to the legislature from Carroll County. Three 
years later he moved to Benton County and there formed a partner- 
ship with his brother-in-law, Samuel W. Peel, sometime member of 
Congress. In 1872 he was elected to represent Benton County in the 
legislature, was returned the following term and elected speaker of 
the house. In 1878 he was elected circuit judge and served four years, 
when he was elected governor of the State. After serving one term he 
was elected to fill the vacancy in the United States Senate caused by 
the resignation of A. H. Garland, who had become attorney-general in 
Cleveland's first cabinet. He took his seat March 25, 1885, and was 
re-elected in 1889, 1895 and 1901. He was defeated for re-election in 
1907. 



Thomas James Churchill 

was born on a farm near 
Louisville, Kentucky, March 
10, 1824. He received his 
early education in the com- 
mon schools of his native 
State, after which he entered 
St. Mary's College, from 
which he was graduated in 
1844. After his graduation 
he took a graduate course 
in Transylvania University 
at Lexington, Kentucky. In 
1846 he enlisted in the first 
Kentucky mounted riflemen 
and saw active service in the 
Mexican War. He was soon 
made lieutenant of his regi- 
ment. In 1847 he was made a 
prisoner and sent to the city 
of Mexico, but was exchanged. 
In 1848 he moved to 




Thomas James Churchill. 



354 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Arkansas and devoted his attention to farming. In 1857 he was 
appointed postmaster at Little Rock by President Buchanan. He con- 
tinued in this position until 1861. When the war between the states 
came on he was commissioned in the Confederate service and organ- 
ized a regiment of cavah-y which was known as the first Arkansas 
mounted riflemen. He later became a major-general in the service of 
the Confederacy. After the close of the war he returned to his farm. 
In 1874 he was elected state treasurer; he was reelected to this posi- 
tion in 1876 and again in 1878. After having served three terms as 
state treasurer he was elected governor of the State. During his 
administration the insane asylum was established at Little Rock and 
the medical and normal departments were added to the state univer- 
sity. He was married to Miss Ann Sevier, July 1, 1849. One son and 
three daughters, all of whom survive, were born of this union. He 
died in 1905. 



James P. Clarke, son of Walter and Ellen (White) Clarke, was 
born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, August 18, 1854. He received his 
early education in the public schools and academies of his native 
State. He then entered the University of Virginia, from which he 
graduated in law in 1878. After his graduation he came west and 
settled at Llelena, Arkansas, where he began the practice of law. In 
1886 he was eelcted to the state legislature and remained through 
the session of 1887. In 1888 he was elected to the state senate and 
served in this capacity for one term. During his term as senator he 
was elected president of the senate and ex-ofiicio lieutenant governor. 
During the years 1893 and 1894 he was attorney-general of Arkansas. 
At the expiration of his term he was elected governor and served one 
term. He declined a second nomination, moved to Little Rock and 
resumed the practice of law. In 1903 he was elected to the United 
States senate, which position he now holds. He is now a member of 
the Democratic National Committee. 



George Brinton Cook, son of Wylie and Delilah (Nickell) Cook, 
was born at White Oak, Kentucky, May 31, 1868. In 1870 the family 
moved to Johnson County, Missouri, in which vicinity he lived until 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



355 



lie went to J lot Springs. Arkansas, in 1891. lie was educated in 
the public schools of Johnson C"ount\-. and in Central Collet^e at 
Fayette, Missouri. After lea^'ino■ school he entered the teachint;- 
]:)rofession and has filled 
many imi)ortant ])ositions. 
In 1891 he was elected super- 
intendent of the city school 
of Hot Sprint;s and county 
e X a ni i n e r for darland 
County, which positions he 
held until 1908, when he was 
elected superintendent of 
pul)lic i n s t r u c t i o n of 
Arkansas. 

He has been an active 
m e m b e r of the National 
Educational Association for 
twenty-two years, and is a 
member of the N a t i o n a 1 
Educational Council, having- 
been for a number of years 
vice-president of the associa- 
tion, chairman and secretary 
of the National Department 
of Superintendents. He was 
for four years secretary of the Southern lulucational Association, and 
is a life member of the Arkansas State Teachers' Association, which 
he has served as president. He was secretary of the board on educa- 
tional awards at the World's Fair, St. Louis, and is now a member of 
the Rhodes Scholarship examining board, chairman of the board of 
trustees of the Arkansas State Normal Scliool, meml)er of the executive 
committee of the board of trustees of the University of Arkansas, and 
advisory member of the state executive committee of the Arkansas 
ai^ricultural schools. He has contributed to the press many articles 
and has delivered many addresses (m educational subjects and has 
devoted much time and thought to the subject of school systems, 
supervision and courses for the purpose of developing and broadening 




George Brinton Cook. 



356 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



the school system of Arkansas. He was married to Miss Greta 
Chambers of Shreveport, Louisiana, on April 7, 1897. Two daughters, 
Katherin and Viroinia, have been born of this union. 



Joseph Carter Corbin was born March 26th, 1833, in Chillicothe, 
Ohio, son of AVilliam and Susan Corbin. In that day there were no 
public schools for colored children in Ohio, but the parents supported 
pay schools in the winter season, in which young Corbin went as 
far as the "single rule of three." He improved his education by 
diligent study at home, and, when about 16 years of age, entered a 

pay school in Louisville, 
Kentucky. This was before 
the war, and the school was 
composed of both free and 
slave children. During this 
time he saved up enough 
money to go to college, for 
which he was pretty well 
prepared, as he read Czesar 
and Cicero readily and hail 
studied mathematics as far 
as analytical geometry. He 
went to the Ohio University 
at Athens and graduated 
from that institution in 1853. 
In order to finish paying for 
his education he obtained a 
position as clearing-house 
clerk in the Bank of the 
Ohio Valley, Cincinnati, 
Ohio. Coming to Arkansas, 
he was employed as a 
reporter by the "Arkansas Republican" for several years and was 
afterwards employed as money-order clerk in the Little Rock 
postofifiice. About this time he received the degrees of A. M. and 
Ph. D. from his alma mater. 




Joseph Carter Corbin. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 357 

In 1873 he was elected superintendent of pul)lic instruction and 
served until the close of the Brooks-Baxter war, after which he 
taught for two years in the Lincoln Institute. Jefferson City, Missouri. 
Returning- to Arkansas he was on August 18, 1875, elected principal of 
the Branch Normal College, Pine Blufif, which position he held for 
about 30 years. During this time all the buildings for the institution 
were erected and a library, physical apparatus and machiner}^ were 
purchased. The contract for the main building of the university was 
also let and the l)uilding erected while he held the ofifice of state 
superintendent. 

He is a 33d degree Mason, and was twenty-five years secretary of 
the colored Freemasons of Arkansas, and also served one term as 
Grand Master. His reports upon foreign correspondence have 
attracted much attention. He is a mathematician and has contributed 
many articles to the mathematical journals. He is also well acquainted 
with six or eiglit foreign languages. He has done a great deal of 
work in holding teachers' institutes in Arkansas and Oklahoma. He is 
an accomplished musician and a performer upon several instruments. 
At present he is principal of the Merrill Public School, Pine Blufif, 
Arkansas. September 11, 1866, he married Miss Mary J. Ward, a 
native of Kentucky, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Six children were born of 
this union, of whom only two survive. 



Jefferson Davis, son of Lewis A. and Elizabeth Davis, was born 
near Richmond, in Little River Count3\ Arkansas, on May 6, 1862. 
\Mien he was seven years of age his parents moved to Russellville 
in Pope C<nmty, where he grew to manhood. Mr. Davis received his 
education in the common schools of Arkansas and at the state univer- 
sity. He left the university before finishing his literary course and 
entered the law department at Vanderbilt University, and was admit- 
ted to practice at the age of nineteen. He began the practice of law at 
Russellville. His practice soon extended through the fifth judicial 
district. In 1893 he was elected prosecuting attorney of his district 
and served four years. In 1899 he was elected attorney-general of the 



358 



HISTORY OF IHE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



union twelve 



state and served in this 
capacity for two years. In 
September, 1900, he was 
elected governor of Arkan- 
sas. He took the oath of 
office as governor January 
18. 1901. In 1902 he was 
again elected governor. He 
was reelected governor in 
1904 for the third term. 
During the six years that 
he served as governor, by 
virtue of his office he was 
president of the board of 
trustees of the University 
of Arkansas. He was 
elected to the United States 
senate and took his seat 
March 4, 1907, as successor 
of James H. Berry. He was 
married in 1882 to Miss 

Jefferson Davis. jj^^ McKcUzie. Of this 

children were born, eight of whom are still living. 




George Washington Donaghey, son of Columbus C. and Elizabeth 
(Ingram) Donaghey, was born in Oakland, Louisiana, on July 1, 1856. 
His parents moved to Arkansas while he was yet an infant, and his life 
has practically all been spent in Arkansas. His early life was spent 
on a farm in Union County, Arkansas. The period was just after the 
Civil War, and his parents, like the majority of their neighbors, were 
very poor. As soon as he was large enough to work in the field, he 
made a full hand on his father's farm. His chances for education were 
meager, and at the age of sixteen he had secured only such education 
as wovdd enable him merely to read and write. 

He left home at sixteen to shift for himself. He worked on a 
farm in Texas at v$12.50 per month and board and lodging. He also 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



359 



worked as a section hand on 
the railroad, and managed 
to go to the free schools for 
a short period during" the 
summer and winter months. 
He moved to C o n wa y , 
Arkansas, in 1874 and there 
learned the carpenter's trade 
and worked for several years 
as a journeyman carpenter 
until he had saved enough 
money to go to the Univer- 
sity of Arkansas for a short 
time. He took no degree. 
His chief training was found 
in the school of experience. 
In this school he studied 
architecture and structural 
engineering until he became 
proficient in both. 

F r o m the carpenter's 
trade he drifted into general 
contracting. As a contractor he has built many buildings in Arkansas, 
Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma, including six of the buildings at the 
University of Arkansas and the courthouse at Fa3^etteville. He was 
successful as a contractor from the start, and after a few years had 
a competency and sufficient capital to operate on a large scale. He 
now owns considerable property in Arkansas and Oklahoma and is a 
stockholder and officer in several Arkansas banks. As a business man 
he stands high. 

He was elected Democratic governor of Arkansas in September, 
1908, which position he now holds. He was married in 1883 to Miss 
Louvenia Wallace. He is a member of the Methodist Church and 
member of the board of trustees of Hendrix College, to which institu- 
tion he has made several gifts. 




George Washington Donaghey. 



360 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



John James Doyne was born at Farmville, Virginia, October 28, 
1858. He received his early training in the public school of his native 
town, after which he graduated from the high school there. He then 
took a three-years' course in the University of Virginia, devoting time 
specially to the study of the Latin, Greek, French, German and Spanish 
languages. He came to Arkansas in July, 1879, and began teaching 

that fall in the Lonoke pub- 
lic school. He taught at 
Lonoke until 1880, when he 
moved to Fort Smith and 
taught there two years. He 
then returned to Lonoke and 
taught there eight years. 
He was county examiner of 
Lonoke County for fourteen 
years, and examiner of the 
Fort Smith district of Sebas- 
tian County about two years. 
He was elected superinten- 
dent of public instruction in 
1898 and served four years. 
He served as deputy super- 
intendent under J. H. Hine- 
mon for a year and a half. 
He was re-elected superin- 
tendent in 1906 and served 
until 1908 when he resigned 

John James Doyne. . j j i • i r 

to accept the presidency of 
the Arkansas State Normal. He is a member of the N. E. A. 
and belongs to the executive council ; he is also a member of the 
S. E. A. ; and for thirty years has been a member of the Arkansas 
State Teachers' Association. He is at present a member of the 
Arkansas Historical Association. By virtue of his position as state 
superintendent he was a member of the board of trustees of the 
University of Arkansas from 1906 to 1908. He was married to Miss 
Ida M. Beard in November, 1882. Three children were born to them. 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



361 



One son, Russell, who is a student In the medical school of the 
University of Arkansas, survives. 



James Phillip Eagle, son of James and Charity Eagle, was born 
in ]\Iaury County, Tennessee, August 10. 1837. Both of his parents 
were natives of North Carolina. In 1839 they moved to Pulaski 
County, Arkansas, and five years later made their home at Military 
Road. In 1857 they moved to Lonoke. Governor Eagle began his 
career as a public servant in 1859, when he was appointed deputy 
sheriff of Lonoke County by 
Sheriff" King. When the war 
between the states came on 
he enlisted as a private in 
Mcintosh's regiment. H e 
soon rose to the rank of 
lieutenant and then captain, 
after which he was made 
major, and in 1865 he 
had risen to the rank of 
lieutenant-colonel. In his 
early youth his educational 
advantages were few, but 
after the close of the war he 
resumed his education. In 
1869 he entered school at 
Lonoke. During the time 
previous to 1869 he had pur- 
sued his studies privatelv. 
During the year 1870-71 he 
attended the Mississippi Col- 
lege, but was compelled to 
return home because of poor health. From childhood he had been 
a farmer, but a part of his time was spent in preaching. He was 
president of the Baptist State Convention for eight years. In 1873 
he was elected to the state legislature and served in the extra session 
of 1874. He was a member of the constitutional convention of 1874. 




James Phillip Eagle. 



362 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



In 1876 he was again elected to the legislature, and again in 1884, 
when he was made speaker of the house. He was elected governor 
in 1888, and served two terms. One of the chief acts of the legislature 
during his administration was the increasing of the number of judges 
on the supreme bench to five. He was married at Richmond, Ken- 
tucky, to Miss Mary Kavanaugh Oldham on January 3, 1882. He 
died December 19, 1904. 



William Meade Fishback was born at Jefferson, in Culpepper 
County, Virginia, November 5, 1831. He was educated at the Uni- 
versitv of Virginia. After leaving college he taught school and read 
law. In 1857 he left Richmond, Virginia, and came west. During 
the year 1858 he remained in Illinois prospecting for a location to 
practice law. Here he met Abraham Lincoln, who became his first 

client. In the latter part of 
1858 he came to Fort Smith, 
but remained here only one 
month ; he then went to 
Greenwood and began the 
practice of law. Judge S. F. 
Clark ofi^ered him a partner- 
ship and they enjoyed a 
large practice until the out- 
break of war. In 1861 he 
was elected as a Union man 
to the secession convention. 
When the Civil War broke 
out he went north, but 
returned in 1864 and 
engaged in editing a paper 
at Little Rock. The paper 
was known as the "Uncon- 
ditional Union." He was 
elected to the United States 
senate in 1864, but was 

William Meade Fishback. rcfuScd a SCat. In 1865 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



363 



President Johnson appointed him treasury agent at Little Rock. He 
was an efficient and honest official. In 1872 he probably was elected 
to the legislature from Sabastian County, but was deprived of his 
seat. In 1874 he was elected to the constitutional convention which 
gave to Arkansas her present constitution. He was elected to the 
legislature in 1876, and again in 1878 and 1884. He ran for Congress 
in 1885, but was defeated and again suffered a like fate in his race for 
the governorship three years later. However, he was elected governor 
in 1892 and served one term. He is the author of the amendment 
to the constitution which repudiated a considerable amount of the 
State's debt, and stumped the State in its behalf. 



Augustus Hill Garland was born 
June 11, 1832. His parents came to 
in 1833. His father died 
soon after they came to 
Arkansas. His mother was 
his first teacher and it was 
from her that he received his 
early education. He then 
went to St. Mary's College 
and later to St. Joseph's 
College, Kentucky. After 
completing his college edu- 
cation he studied law and 
was admitted to the bar in 
1853. He practiced law at 
Washington, Arkansas, until 
1856, when he moved to 
Little Rock and formed a 
partnership with Ebenezer 
Cummings. This partnership 
continued until the death of 
Mr. Cummings in 1857. He 
was a delegate to the state 
convention in 1861 and took 



in Tipton County, Tennessee, 
Hempstead County, Arkansas. 




Augustus Hill Garland. 



364 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

a leading- part among the conservatives in opposing- and preventing 
radical action at the first session. But when war became inevitable, 
he reluctantly yielded and voted for secession. After Arkansas 
had seceded he was made a member of the provisional Congress of the 
Southern Confederacy in 1861. He subsequently served as representa- 
tive and senator in the Confederate Congress and was a member of 
the senate when the war closed. In 1865 President Johnson pardoned 
him and he resumed the practice of law in Little Rock. 

Before the war Mr. Garland had been admitted to practice before 
the Supreme Court of the United States. By act of January 24, 1865, 
Congress prohibited attorneys from practicing- in the federal courts 
without having- subscribed to the so-called iron-clad oath and made 
this applicable to those who had already been admitted. Mr. Garland, 
who could not take the oath without perjuring himself, now attacked 
the act as unconstitutional on the ground that it was an ex post facto 
law in so far as it related to those who had already been admitted to 
practice ; and if constitutional, he was released from its penalties 
by the pardon of President Johnson. Mr. Garland filed briefs in 
his own behalf with the supreme court, but was also assisted by some 
of the ablest counsel in the country. He was opposed by men of 
equal talent, but the result was a decision in his favor. 

In 1867 he was elected to the United States Congress, but was 
refused a -seat. He then returned to Arkansas and resumed the 
practice of law. In 1874, when Mr. Brooks expelled Governor Baxter 
and seized the state house, Mr. Garland espoused the governor's cause 
and was appointed deputy secretary of state. The same year he was 
elected governor of Arkansas and served one term. When his term 
as governor expired he was elected to the United States senate in 
1877. At the expiration of his first term he was reelected in 1883. He 
enjoyed the distinction of being one of the great constitutional lawyers 
in the senate. In 1885 President Cleveland appointed him attorney- 
general of the United States. He is the first man from Arkansas who 
served in a President's cabinet. He retired from public life in 1889 
and located in Washington City, where he practiced law until his 
death in 1899. He was married to Miss Virginia Sanders. Of this 
union three sons and one daughter were born. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



365 



Simon P. Hughes was born in Smith County, Tennessee, April 14, 
1830. His parents came to /Arkansas when he was fourteen years old. 
Two years after they came to Arkansas he returned to Tennessee 
to attend school. lie attended Sylvan Academy during- the year 
1846-47 and in 1848-49 he was a student at Clinton College. He 
returned to Arkansas in 1849 and was thrown upon his own resources. 
He engaged in farming in 
1849 and continued in this 
business until 1854, when 
he took up the study of 
law. He was elected 
sheriff of Monroe County 
in 1854 and served until 
18 5 6. In 1857 he was 
admitted to the bar and 
began the practice of law 
at Clarendon. A\'hen the 
war between the states 
came on, he enlisted in the 
i n f a n t r y r e g' i m e n t 
of Colonel Charles \\\ 
Adams. He was made cap- 
tain of his company and 
later lieutenant-colonel of 
the regiment. He then 
entered the cavalry as a 
l)rivate and served in Mor- 
gan's Texas battalion until 
the close of the war. He was elected to the house of representatives in 
1866-67, and served during- the session of 1866-67. He was made 
attorney-general of Arkansas in 1874 and moved to Little Rock. In 
the same year he was elected to the constitutional convention which 
gave Arkansas her present constitution. He resumed the practice of 
law in 1876 and continued this until 1884, when he was elected 
oovernor of the State. He was reelected in 1886. In 1889 he was 




Simon P. Hughes 



366 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

made an associate justice of the supreme court of Arkansas. He was 
married to Miss Anna E. Blakemore in 1857. Of this union four sons 
and two daus^hters were born. 



Daniel W. Jones was born in Bowie County, Texas. December 15. 
1839. When he was a small child his parents moved to Arkansas, and 
he received his early education in the public schools of his adopted 
state. He later attended the academy of B. J. Borden. He began the 
study of law in 1861 under the direction of Honorable John R. Eakin. 
He continued his study for only one year, when he enlisted in 
Gratiot's regiment. He later enlisted in the 20th Arkansas infantry 
and became colonel. He was wounded in the battle of Corinth and 
was made a prisoner after the fall of Vicksburg. After the war 
closed he began the practice of law at Washington, Arkansas. In 
1874 he was elected prosecuting attorney for the 9th circuit, which 
position he held until 1876. He resumed the practice of law and 
continued therein until 1884, when he was elected attorney-general 
of Arkansas. He was reelected in 1886. He was elected governor of 
Arkansas in 1896 and served four years, being reelected in 1898. 
He was married to Miss Maggie R. Hadley on February 9, 1864. Of 
this union three sons and two daughters were born. He is now prac- 
ticing law in Little Rock. 



John Sebastian Little was born at Jenny Lind, Sebastian County, 
Arkansas, March 15, 1851. He received his earh' education in the 
common schools and at Cane Hill College. He grew to manhood on 
the farm and remained there until 1872, when he engaged in teaching. 
He followed this profession three terms. At the time he commenced 
teaching he began also the study of law, his preceptor being Judge 
C. B. Neal. In 1873 he was admitted to the bar at Greenwood and 
soon afterward located at Paris, Logan County, Arkansas, where he 
engaged in the general practice of law until May, 1877, when he was 
elected prosecuting attorney for the twelfth judicial circuit. He was 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 367 

reelected in 1878, 1880 and 1882, serving- in all eight years. In 1884 
he was elected to the state legislature and served on the committee on 
judiciary, and was chairman of the committee on county and probate 
atfairs. 

In 1886 he was elected circuit jud;^e for a term of four years; in 
1893 was chosen as chairman of the state judicial convention ; in 
September, 1894, was elected without t)ppositi(jn to fill the unexpired 
term of C. R. Breckenridge in 53d Congress ; was elected to the 
54th, 55th, 56th, 57th, 58th Congresses and was reelected to the 59th 
Congress, but resigned December 13th, 1906, to take effect January 
14, 1907, to accept the office of governor of Arkansas, to which 
position he had been elected in September, 1906, by one of the largest 
majorities that was ever recorded in the history of the Democratic 
party in the State. He was inaugurated as governor in January. 1906, 
but only acted as governor the following Saturday and Sunday. He 
was stricken down by the hand of affliction on Monday and never 
again became able to resume the duties of his ofifice during his whole 
term. ?Ie was married to Miss Elizabeth Irwin in januarv, 1877. 



William Reed Miller, twenty-first gcnernor of the State of Arkan- 
sas, was born in Independence County, Arkansas, November 27, 1823. 
His father, John Miller, was one of the pioneers in the territory of 
Arkansas and contributed largely by the force of his intellect and per- 
sonality to the founding of the State. His mother was noted as a 
woman of intelligence and loftiness of character. Though reared in 
such luxury as the then frontier aft'orded, yet his character was 
tempered by the privations of pioneer life. His school training was 
necessarily limited, yet by industry he accjuired a practical education. 

He lived in the public view from early manhood and exerted an 
terms and the larger part of a third term, until in 1854 he was 
elected clerk of Independence County in 1848, serving through two 
terms and the larger part of a third term, until in 1854 he was 
appointed by the governor to fill the vacancy caused by the death of 
the state auditor. During the years 1855 and 1856 he filled the ofiice 
of accountant of the Real Estate Rank. In 1856 he was elected 



368 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

auditor of state and was reelected in 1858, 1860, 1862 and 1864, but 
did not fill the fifth term, being- declared ineligible on account of his 
part in the establishment of the government of the Confederate States. 
The law was his profession, but his career as a lawyer was frequently 
interrupted by his election to various ofiices of public trust. The 
recovery of control of the State by the Democrats in 1874 replaced him 
in the position of auditor, where he served for one term until January, 
1877, when he was inaugurated governor of Arkansas. He enjoys the 
distinction of being the first native governor of his State. His 
administration was marked chiefly by the rapid recovery of the people 
from the disturbances and discouragements caused by the war between 
the states, and by the steady progress in the development of the 
material resources of the State. It was disturbed by a few attempts 
at lawlessness. At this time the movement for the settlement of the 
state debt by a plan subsequently adopted in an amendment to the 
constitution came into prominence. Against this movement he threw 
the weight of his influence, taking the high ground that the State is 
bound by her obligations which have passed into innocent hands, 
although she may not have received full value for them, and that any 
plan for the adjustment of her debts should include all of her obliga- 
tions. 

He was married January 31, 1849, to Miss Susan E. Bevens, 
daughter of Judge Wilham C. Bevens of Batesville, Arkansas. Of 
this union five daughters and two sons were born. He died November 
27, 1887, while again occupying the position of auditor of state, to 
which he had been elected in his declining years, as a mark of esteem 
and confidence of his people. 



Thomas Smith was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, his father being of 
Scotch and his mother of English descent. He spent the early part 
of his life in his native city and at Paducah, Kentucky. Later he 
settled at Little Rock, Arkansas, as a surgeon in the Union army 
in 1864. He was elected state superintendent of public instruction 
in 1868, and served until 1873. When he attempted to organize the 
public school system under the new law grave difficulties confronted 
him. The people were prejudiced against the government and there 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 3G9 

was no money, the State bein^- on a scrip basis. lie secured the first 
systematic enumeration of the children of the State. ^Ir. Smith was 
ex-officio chairman of the l>oard of trustees of the University of 
Arkansas from the organization of the board in 1871 until he went 
out of office in 1873. He was married three times. 



II. TRUSTEES ?,Y APPOINTMENT. 

John Emory Bennett, son (»f James and Abbie liennett, was born 
at I'ethany, Genesee County, New York, i\Iarch 18, 1833. He was 
reared on a farm and attended the district school until he was sixteen 
years of age, at which time he entered Lima College, where he 
remained for three years. After two more years spent on the farm 
he accepted a clerkship at Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained a year 
and a half. He then moved to ^Morrison, Illinois. Mr. Bennett was 
the first postmaster of Morrison, and, as one of the early settlers, 
was largely instrumental in having the county seat moved from 
Sterling to that place. He continued his residence at ^Morrison until 
the breaking out of the Civil War. In the meantime he had spent 
several years in the study of law in the office of Charles Johnson, a 
local attorney. 

In the year 1862 he organized a company of volunteers which was 
mustered in as company C of the 7.^th regiment, Illinois infantry 
volunteers. In the organization of the regiment Ai)ril 23, 1863. Mr. 
IJennett was elected colonel. He made an efficient officer and led 
Jiis regiment with credit through twenty-two regular engagements. 
April 6, 1865, Colonel Bennett was breveted brigadier-general and 
given command of the third brigade first division under General 
Sherman. He was mustered out June 12, 1865, and reentered the 
service as second lieutenant of the 19th infantry on the 23d of Feb- 
ruary, 1866. He was transferred to the 28th infantry on September 
21, 1866, and on March 2, 1867, was made brevet captain for gallant 
and meritorious service in the battle of Lookout Mountain, major 
for gallant and meritorious service in the battle at Franklin, Tennessee, 
lieutenant-colonel for gallant and meritorious service in the battle at 
Nashville, Tennessee. Colonel Bennett resigned from the army 
August 8, 1868, and entered the practice of law at Little Rock. Here 



370 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



he received a federal appointment as judge of the circuit court with 
headquarters at Helena, Arkansas. Judge Bennett served one term, 
v^^hen in 1871 he was appointed to membership on the supreme court 
of the State. He remained on the bench until the revolution of 1874 
transferred the state government to the Democrats. Judge Bennett 
became interested in business at Helena and built three cotton-seed 
oil mills in the State. He moved from Arkansas to South Dakota 
about 1880 and located at Clark, in that state, where he engaged in 
farming. He was a delegate to the National Republican Convention 
in Chicago in 1884 and was there chosen as National Republican 
Committeeman for South Dakota. He was president of the Huron 
convention which drafted a constitution. In 1885 he was elected 
judge of the supreme court of South Dakota in the provisional state- 
hood movement, and, when the State was finally admitted in 1889, 
was reelected to that position, serving with great credit until the 

time of his death on the 31st 

of December, 1893. In 
November, previous to his 
death, he had been reelected 
for another term. April 11, 
1854, Mr. Bennett married 
Marium L. Kendall. One son 
was born of this union. 




John T. Bearden. 



John T. Bearden was born 
in Knoxville, Tennessee, 
August 18, 1826. He received 
his education at a college in 
Knoxville and then studied 
law under Judge Horace Ma}'-- 
nard, who was afterward 
minister to Turkey. He was 
admitted to the bar before he 
was twenty-one years old. In 
1847 he came to Arkansas and 
settled in Camden where he 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



371 



resumed the practice of law. He was judge of the ninth circuit from 
September, 1866, to July, 1868, when he was removed. He was a 
member of the house of representatives in 1852 and 1879. In the 
session of 1879 he served as speaker. 

On the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted in the Confederate 
army and served as adjutant-general in General A. T. Hawthorne's 
brigade of Churchill's division. By appointment in 1874 he served 
for one year as associate justice of the supreme court. He belonged 
to the orders of Masons and Odd Fellows. He was a trustee of the 
university from 1883 to 1886, when he resigned. In 1860 he married 
]\Irs. Frances Stith. To this union were born three daughters, one of 
whom died in childhood and the other two are now living in Los 
Angeles, to which place he had moved in 1886. 



Benjamin Clayton Black was born in Rutherford County, 
nessee, November 2, 1842. 
When a small boy he emi- 
grated with his parents from 
Rutherford County to Hay- 
wood County, west Tennes- 
see. At the age of fifteen 
years he moved to White 
County, Arkansas, with his 
father, his mother having 
died when he was nine years 
of age. His education was 
received in the c o m m o n 
schools of the country, 
except for one term spent in 
a boarding school. He was 
a clerk in a wholesale gro- 
cery store in Searcy at the 
breaking out of the Civil 
War. At the age of eighteen 
he enlisted in Captain John 
INIcCauley's company of 

infantry, C. S. A., which was Benjamin Clayton Black. 



Ten- 




372 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



known as company A and was attached to the 7th Arkansas 
regiment of infantry, nnder command of Colonel Bob Shaver. While 
at Bowling- Green, Kentucky, he had a long spell of sickness, in 
consequence of which he was discharged from the army. After 
returning to his relatives and friends at Searcy and remaining for a few 
months he reenlisted by joining Captain Will Hicks' company of 
cavalry and was on detached service for several months. Afterwards 
the company was attached to the 32d Arkansas regiment, said to be 
the last volunteer regiment raised in the State. He was in all the 
engagements of that command until after the federals captured Little 
Rock. After this he was commissioned to raise a company, of which 
he was elected captain. He was on detached service with this company 
until the brigade was organized, after which his company was joined 
to the 48th Arkansas cavalry regiment and united to McRae's brigade. 
He was on General Sterling Price's raid into Missouri. After the raid 
he was ordered, with his company, to surrender, which he did at 
Searcy, Arkansas, in March, 1865. 

In the winter of 1866 he engaged in the mercantile business at 
Searcy and continued in business until 1878. He was then elected 
sheriff of White County and held the office for eight years. He was 
appointed postmaster at Searcy by President Cleveland during his 
first term. After serving a four-year term in that capacity he reentered 
the mercantile business and remained in it until his death, which 
occurred November U , 1906. He served as mayor of his home town 
several terms and was chairman of the Democratic central committee 
of his county and congressional district. He was appointed as a 
member of board of trustees of the University of Arkansas in 1891 
by Governor Eag-le and served a full term of six years. He was 
married to Miss Molly Jones, March 1, 1866. Eleven children were 
born of this union. 



James William Brown, son of William and Mary (Leake) Brown, 
was born May 12, 1835, in Lawrence District, South Carolina. He 
received his early education in his native state. He then entered the 
medical college at Augusta, Georgia, from which he graduated in 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



373 



1858. He came to Ouachita 
County, Arkansas, in the 
same year and identified him- 
self with the interests of 
that county. W'lien the war 
l)rok:e out Dr. Brown enlisted 
in the Confederate a r m y . 
After the war he entered 
l)usiness and became one of 
the most prominent business 
men of the section of the 
State in which he lived, and 
held many responsible jjosi- 
tions. He was vice- president 
of the Ouachita Valley P)ank 
and president of the South 
Arkansas Lumber Compan}-. 
He was a member of the pub- 
lic school board of Camden, 
Arkansas, a member of the 
l)oard of trustees of Hendrix 
and Henderson Colleges, and J^^'""' ^"''"'" ^■■°^"- 

of the University of Arkansas. He was married to Miss Annie Estelle 
Hatley in 1866. Five children, four of whom survive, were born of 
this union. Dr. Rrown died September 21, l'J04. 




George Thomas Breckenridge was born in Green County, Arkansas, 
April 1, 1870, son of James H. and Mary A. lireckenridge, who were 
of Scotch-English descent, llieir ancestors left Scotland during the 
reign of Charles H. on account of the religious persecutions of that 
period and settled in Virginia, (ieorge T. Breckenridge's father and 
mother were pioneer settlers in Green Coimty, Arkansas, and his 
mother is still living there. J\Ir. Breckenridge attended the common 
schools of Green County, after which lie attended the Thompson 
Classical Institute of Paragould for six years. He was awarded a 
medal on oratory and one for general excellence. This constituted the 



374 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 




George Thomas Breckenridge. 

this union four daughters were born, 
Martha AHce and Harriet Elizabeth. 



whole of his scholastic train- 
ing. He was elected circuit 
clerk of Green County in 
1898, which position he held 
for two terms. He then 
entered the land and abstract 
business, in which he 
remained until the year 1907, 
when he organized the 
Breckenridge Merc a n t i le 
Company of Paragould. He 
entered the mill and ginning 
business in 1909, in which he 
is engaged at the present. 
Mr. Breckenridge is at pres- 
ent supervisor of the census 
for the first district of 
Arkansas, and a member of 
the board of trustees of the 
University of Arkansas. He 
was married January 9, 1901, 
to Miss Mary C. Loretz. Of 
Ina Euther, Mary Caroline, 



Henry Gaston Bunn, son of David and Elizabeth Bunn, was born 
near Rocky Mount, Nash County, North Carolina, June 12, 1838. In 
1844 the family moved to Fayette County, Tennessee, and two years 
later came to Arkansas, settling in Calhoun County. There Henry 
Bunn attended the county schools until sent to Davidson College, 
North Carolina, to complete his education. He was a member of the 
Eumenean Society and was ever an advocate of Greek letter fra- 
ternities. In 1861 he returned to his Arkansas home and aided in 
raising a company which with others united in forming the 4th 
Arkansas regiment under command of Colonel E. McNair. He was 
first elected a lieutenant in this company and then appointed adjutant. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



375 



He served throughout the 
war, coming out with the 
rank of colonel. After the 
war he studied law and was 
admitted to the bar in 1866. 
From 1873 to 1874 he 
served as state senator and 
was a delegate to the consti- 
tutional convention in 1874, 
in which he was chairman of 
the committee on bill of 
rights and a member of the 
judiciary committee. He also 
acted as special judge on the 
supreme and circuit bench, 
and for a number of years was 
president of the State Bar 
Association. In May, 1893, he 
was appointed by Governor 
Fishback to fill the vacancy 
caused by the death of Chief 
Justice Cockrill, and in 1896 
was nominated by the Democratic state convention and elected in Sep- 
tember of that year to the full term of eight years. He was appointed' 
as a trustee for the University of Arkansas in 1893 and served in this 
capacity for eig"ht years. In 1904 he took up the private practice of 
law, in partnership with Mr. W. E. Patterson, at El Dorado, Union 
County, which he continued until his death, July 17, 1908. He was 
a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was twice married, first,. 
in December, 1865, to Miss Louisa F. Holmes, who died ten months, 
later; in 1869 he was married to Miss Aralee Connolly. Nine children, 
five of whom survive, were born of this union. 




Henry Gaston Bunn. 



370 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



John Middleton Clayton was born October 13, 1840, in Delaware 
County. Pennsylvania, one of a family of ten children, only two of 
whom are now living-, William H. H. Clayton, his twin brother, of 
McAlester, Oklahoma, and Powell Clayton of Eureka Springs, 
Arkansas. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the Union 
army and was first sergeant in company H, 124th Pennsylvania 

volunteers, and took part in 
the battles of South Moun- 
tain, Antietam and Chancel- 
lorsville. 

In 1866 he removed to 
Arkansas with his family and 
resided on a cotton plantation 
on the x\rkansas River in Jef- 
ferson County, about fifteen 
miles below Pine Bluff. AVhile 
residing- here he served a 
term in the Arkansas legisla- 
ture in 1871, as a member of 
the house of representatives, 
and in 1873 he was elected a 
member of the senate, part of 
the time l^eing president of 
that bod5^ In 1876 he was 
elected sheriff' of Jefferson 
County and moved to Pine 
Bluff', where he continued to 
reside until his death. He 
continued to hold the offfce 
of sheriff until 1886. In the summer of 1888 he entered the practice of 
law in Pine liluff' as the junior partner in the firm of Hemingway, 
Austin & Clayton, his partners being Judge W. E. Hemingway and 
Mr. M. A. Austin of Pine Bluff. 

In the federal election in the fall of 1888 he made the race on the 
Republican ticket against C. R. Breckenridge for Congress in the 
second Congressional district. The returns showed Mr. Breckenridfie 




John Middleton Clayton. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



377 



to be elected by 848 majority out of a total \-ote of 34,868, and he 
then instituted a contest for the office. On January 29, 1889, while 
taking- evidence in this contest, he was murdered in I'lummerville h\ 
some one whose name has never been dixulged. He was buried in 
the cemetery in Pine liluff b}' the side of his wife, who had died 
about the year 1884. 

When the University of Arkansas was estaldished he was appointed 
a member of the first Ijoard of trustees and served from 1871 to 1874. 
lie was married to Miss Sarah Ann Zebley, of New Castle County, 
Delaware, on XoA'cmber 2, 18()3. lught children, si.x of whom survive, 
were born. The names of the surxiving- children are h'mma, now Mrs. 
\\\ D. Jones, of Pine iUuft"; Alargaret Ann. now Mrs. 11. S. Dukes, of 
Hemet. California; AX'illiam 11.. i'owell and fohn Middleton. 



Charles Coffin was born at Rogersville, llawkins County 
nessee, April 2?>, 1842, sou of 
Charles Hector and I'^liza 
Coffin. His parents moved 
to Knoxville, Tenn.. in 1847, 
where Charles spent his boy- 
hood. His paternal grand- 
father. Rev. Charles Cofiin. 
D. D., moved from New- 
buryport, Massachusetts, to 
(ireenville, Tennessee, in 
1804 and served as president 
of (ireenville College from 
1806 to 1827 and of the East 
Tennessee College at Knox- 
ville from 1827 until 1832. 
After attending the private 
schools of Knoxville, Charles 
matriculated as a freshman 
at East Tennessee Univer- 
sity, now University of Ten- 
nessee, at Knoxville. From Chark-s Coftin 



Ten- 




378 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

there he went to Princeton College and entered the junior class. He 
was elected junior orator to represent "Whig Hall" in an oratorical 
contest at commencement, but the Civil AVar coming on, he left 
Princeton before the end of the year. 

August 10, 1861, he enlisted in the Confederate army, joining a 
cavalry company commanded by Captain Ben M. Branner. Later, 
while serving under Colonel Henry M. Ashby, he was appointed 
sergeant-major of the regiment and served in that capacity until the 
end of the war, frequently acting as adjutant. 

After the surrender he was indicted for treason in the United 
States court at Knoxville, but was pardoned by President Andrew 
Johnson upon payment of the costs, $40.40. He remained in east 
Tennessee and prosecuted the study of law until December, when he 
had some trouble with his eyes, upon which he discontinued his 
studies and went to Memphis, Tennessee, where he engaged in mer- 
chandising until 1869. Then, with his brothers, James P. and Hector 
Coffin, he located at Clover Bend, Lawrence County, Arkansas, and 
for two years conducted a mercantile business on the credit basis, 
with unsuccessful results. He then taught school in Pocahontas, 
Randolph County, in 1873, and in August of that year began editing 
a newspaper at that place. He also continued his law studies. During 
that period the "Brooks-Baxter War" transpired in Arkansas. He 
was elected to the legislature to fill a vacancy in November, 1873, and 
served in the extraordinary session of that body during the said war. 

At the September (1874) term of the circuit court for Randolph 
County, he was licensed to practice law. Some years later he was 
granted a license to practice in the supreme court, and still later in 
the federal courts. From January 8 to November 18, 1876, he was 
the principal editorial writer on the "Arkansas Gazette" at Little Rock. 
Returning to Lawrence County, he located at Walnut Ridge, where 
he had begun the practice of law. In 1878 he was elected prosecuting 
attorney for the 3d judicial district, and was reelected in 1880, serving 
two terms. In 1888 he was again elected to the house of representa- 
tives in the state legislature and served through the term. 

In 1883 he was appointed by Governor James H. Berry as a 
member of the board of trustees for the state university. He was 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



379 



reappointed to that board in 1885 by Governor S. P. Hughes, and 
served until the legislature of 1887 reorganized the university by a 
liberal appropriation establishing the agricultural and mechanical 
departments. In 1896 he w^as a delegate from the 1st Congressional 
district to the national convention of the Democratic party, which 
met at Chicago and nominated Mr. W. J. Bryan for President. He 
was Grand Dictator of the Knights of Honor for Arkansas for three 
terms. 



Mathias Abraham Cohn was born in ilildesheim, Germany, May 29, 
1823, son of Abraham and Doris Colin. He was educated at the schools 
in the vicinit}' of Bremen and received private instruction in English. 
He came to the United States before the Civil War. About 1868 
he moved from Memphis, Tennessee, to Augusta, Arkansas, and lived 
there until about 1873, removing from there to Little Rock, where 
he remained until his death. 
He was elected to the house 
of representatives from 
Woodruff County in the ses- 
sion of 1871 and took an act- 
ive part in the affairs of those 
stirring times. In 1872 he 
was appointed to the ofifice of 
superintendent of schools for 
the second circuit of the 
State. He became a member 
of the first board of trustees 
of the university and his 
associates elected him secre- 
tary. He gave a great deal 
of time and attention to this 
work and assisted in the 
organization of the univer- 
sity. He retired from the 
board of trustees in 1873. 
Then he moved to Little 
Rock, and there in 1876 he Mathias Abraham Cohn. 




380 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



began the practice of law. At Little Rock he was an active member 
of his church and held the presidency of the congregation of the 
Jewish Temple for a number of years and the congregation made 
strides toward greater influence under his administration. He had 
a law passed whereby a Jewish minister could perform the marriage 
service the same as other ministers, a thing which prior to that time 
had not been possible. In 1890 he retired from the practice of the law 
after a period of thirteen or fourteen years of active and successful 
practice, and lived thereafter a quiet and retired life. His later years 
were devoted to g"ood purposes and he took an active part in religious 
services on the Jewish holidays. He was stricken with paralysis 
while assisting on one of these occasions, and from this attack he 
never fully recovered. 

He was also a Mason and in the fifties was active in the cause, 
obtaining the highest offices within the gift of his fellows, in New 
Albany, Indiana, where he then lived. 

He was married to Miss Therese Koebner March 14, 1848. Of this 
union eight children were born, of whom all survive. He died at his 
home in Little Rock, Februarv 5, 1901. 



Virgil Y. Cook, son of William D. and Pernecia (Dodds) Cook, 
was born in Boydville, Graves County, Kentucky, November 14, 1848. 
Both parents were born in Caldwell County, Kentucky. His father 
was a successful tobacconist and general merchant for many years. 
John Cook and John Craig Dodds, grandparents, were native Ken- 
tuckians, being merchant and planter, respectively, and both were 
soldiers in the war of 1812, participating with the Kentucky troops 
in the Northwestern Territory and Canadian campaigns, 1812 and 
1813, and in Jackson's New Orleans campaign, 1814-15, including the 
battle at the latter place. Both were line officers. His great-grand- 
fathers were continental soldiers in the Revolutionary War, serving 
in A^irginia and South Carolina respectively. 

Virgil Y. was educated in the subscription schools of his native 
town and at Spring Hill Academy, Henry County, Tennessee. He 
entered the Confederate army in July, 1863, before he was fifteen years 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 381 

of age, in the Kentucky brigade of Forrest's cavalry, serving in the 
ranks and as staff courier. He participated in the battles and cam- 
paigns of that command, and was paroled May 16, 1865. He enjoys 
a distinction perhaps that few, if any other private soldier in either 
army enjoys, that of having his former company, with which he had 
served some eight months, and from which he had recently been 
transferred to a different company and regiment, pass him at "Present 
Arms" while he was serving out-post picket duty. 

He attended school one year after the Civil War, taking an 
academic course. He came to Arkansas in June, 1866, and engaged in 
mercantile pursuits at Grand Glaize, Jackson County, on lower White 
River. In 1874 he founded the town of Olyphant on the St. Louis and 
Southern Railway, in Jackson County, where he continued to conduct 
a general mercantile house. In 1884 he removed to Oil Trough Valley 
in Independence County, where he continued his mercantile business. 
Here he acquired several plantations, aggregating 3.500 acres in 
cultivation and engaged in the cultivation of cotton and alfalfa. 

Colonel Cook has been connected with the Arkansas reserve militia 
as brigadier-general and with the Arkansas state guard as major- 
general. In April, 1898, he was appointed colonel of the second 
Arkansas infantry, U. S. volunteers, and served in several corps and 
brigades, and commanded for ten days all the U. S. troops stationed 
at Camp Shipp-, Anniston, Alabama. He was mustered out of service 
with the regiment February 25, 1899, a service of ten months to a dav. 
He has also been connected with the Arkansas Division, United 
Confederate \>terans as adjutant-general and chief of staff' and 
major-general thereof, and as aide-de-camp to Generals John B. 
Gordon and Stephen D. Lee, commanders-in-chief of that organization. 
For many years he was commander of Tom Hindman Camp No. 318, 
United Confederate Veterans, Newport, Arkansas, and is now a 
member general finance committee and major-general commanding 
third division, Forrest's cavalry corps, U. C. V. He was appointed 
as a member of the board of trustees of the University of Arkansas 
May 20, 1903, and served the full term of six years. Until recently 
he was president of the Arkansas Historical Association. 

Having recently leased his Oil Trough plantation for a series of 
years for an annual money stipend per acre, he has retired from active 



382 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

business and resides at Batesville, Arkansas. In June, 1871, he was 
married to Miss Mildred O. Lamb, daughter of Captain Enos Lamb, 
a Kentuckian and a river steamboat captain. Six children were born 
of this union, Neve P., now Mrs. Butler of Batesville, Arkansas ; 
Virgil Whitfield; Mary, now Mrs. J. P. Marrow; Jennie, now Mrs. 
Rutherford, and another son who died in infancy. 



George J. Crump, an attorney of Harrison, Arkansas, was born in 
Harlan County, Kentucky, in June, 1841. He left his native state as 
a boy and accompanied his parents to Arkansas. The family settled 
in 1854 on Crooked Creek in Carroll County. He was educated in 
the common schools of the section and was attending the CarroUton 
Academy at the beginning- of the Civil War. Earnestly and with 

the enthusiasm of youth he 
advocated the cause of the 
South and enlisted at the first 
call for state troops under 
J. D. Walker, of Fayetteville. 
After the light at Oak Hill, 
when the state troops were 
disbanded, he became a mem- 
ber of company E, six- 
teenth Arkansas infantry, 
C. S. A. 




He served in the Trans- 
Mississippi Department until 
April, 1862, when he went 
east of the Mississippi, where 
he saw active service as lieu- 
tenant and regimental 
adjutant until his capture at 
Port Hudson. He effected his 
escape by jumping off the 
boat and swimming the Mis- 
sissippi to the Arkansas side. 
George J. Crump. He reported to General 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 383 

Holmes, then in command at Little Rock, by whom he was 
ordered home. In the fall of 1864 he was ordered to report at parole 
camp near Lewisville, Arkansas, and to take command of the men 
from his regiment as they reported for duty. Here they formed a 
regiment, composed of fifteenth and sixteenth northwest Arkansas 
regiment infantry, which he commanded at the battle of Jenkins' 
Ferry. He was at Marshall, Texas, at the close of the war. After the 
war Governor Murphy appointed him as clerk of Carroll County. In 
1868, when the reconstruction government took charge of the State, 
Mr. Crump went out of office and entered the mercantile business 
as a partner of James H. Berry, afterwards United States senator. 

Having devoted his leisure moments to the study of law, he was 
able, in 1869, to open a law office at Carrollton, Arkansas. In 1873 
he moved to Harrison, Arkansas, where he has practiced his 
profession. Colonel Crump was a member of the lower house of the 
general assembly of Arkansas in 1871. He was appointed as member 
of the board of trustees of the Arkansas Industrial University in 
1883 and served for two years. He was United States marshal for 
the western district of Arkansas from 1893 to 1897. In July, 1903, 
he was appointed general attorney for the St. Louis and North 
Arkansas Railroad Company. 

In the spring of 1866 he met Mrs. Josephine (Wright) Greenlee, 
to whom he was married in the followino- fall. 



Marcellus L. Davis, son of Ray and Sara (Poston) Davis, was born 
January 7, 1848, in the town of Ozark, Christian County, Missouri. 
His father was a physician by profession. When Marcellus was 
twelve months old, his parents emigrated to Arkansas, and settled in 
the town of Dover in Pope County, where his father practiced his 
profession. After his father's death, his mother continued to live in 
Dover for about two years, when she was married to Mr. George 
Williams, who was one of the original founders and owners of the 
town of Dardanelle, to which place the family then moved. The 
father of Marcellus was a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, 
which fact entitled him to admission as a student to St. John's College 
at Little Rock, where he attended one session just before the war. 



384 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

About the second year of the war the family moved to Hopkins 
County, Texas, where they engaged in farming until hostilities ceased. 
They then returned to Dardanelle. Some years later Marcellus 
returned to Texas and attended a little college called Shiloh for one 
year. This was the last of his school days, after which, returning 
home, he drifted from one employment to another, and finally accepted 
an eng'agement from a friend to go to Gainesville, Texas, to close out a 
rather complicated little mercantile establishment. He made the 
journey on. horseback, swimming swollen streams where there were 
neither fords nor ferries. On reaching Gainesville he found it neces- 
sary to employ a lawyer. Having some leisure time and nothing to 
read, he incidentally took to his attorney's law books and thus began 
the study of law. When he returned home, he continued the study 
of the law Avith Messrs. Rice and Toomer. and was admitted to the 
bar and to a partnership with the firm. Captain Rice soon left the 
country and the firm was dissolved. About the year 1871 he engaged 
in a mercantile venture which was profitable for some years, and then 
collapsed under a disastrous cotton speculation. He then resumed 
the profession of the law, which he has pursued almost exclusively 
ever since. 

Mr. Davis was mayor of Dardanelle for two terms and later was 
elected to the state legislature and served during the session of 1880-81. 
He has delivered baccalaureate addresses at the University of 
Arkansas ; also at Central College, Hendrix, and Cumberland College. 
In 1877 he and Prof. W. B. Morrow established a newspaper in 
Dardanelle called the "Western Immigrant." They disposed of the 
paper after having edited it for four years, but later Mr. Davis was 
employed to edit it. He continued this work until 1892, when he 
was selected as presidential elector by the State Democratic Conven- 
tion. President Cleveland in 1893 appointed him consul to the Island 
of Trinidad. His health soon failed and he was transferred to 
Yucatan, Mexico, with his station at the city of Merida. At the 
expiration of his term as consul he returned to Arkansas and accepted 
the position of private secretary to Governor James P. Clarke. He 
was appointed one of the trustees of the University of Arkansas 
in 1907. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



385 



In 1875 he was married to Miss Janie I). Stone. One son was 
born of this nnion. Five years after his marriage his wife died and 
thirteen years later he was married to Miss Sue \\'. Johnston. Three 
children were born of this union, A\'innie, Charles 'lliomas, and llenry 
Paul. 



Alexander Winchester Dinsmore was of Scotch-Irish ancestrv. 
His great-grandfather, John Dinsmore (or Dunsmuir), younger son 
of a wealthy Scotch farmer, when a lad of seventeen, was offended 
because required by his father to hold his elder brother's stirruj) 
while the latter mounted his horse, left his father's home and migrated 
to County Antrim in Ireland, where he brought. u]) a family. Three 
of his sons, John, Robert and 
Adam, came from Ireland to 
America prior to the Revolu- 
tion. 

Adam became the settler 
and owner of a very fine 
estate in what is now Wash- 
ington County, Pennsylvania, 
a portion of which estate is 
still in the possession of his 
descendants. Here A. AV. 
Dinsmore, who was his 
grandson, and the son of 
James Dinsmore, was born 
in April, 1820, and spent his 
childhood and youth upon his 
father's farm. At the age of 
eighteen he was graduated 
f r o m Washington College, 
Pennsylvania, and immedi- 
ately entered upon the work 
of teaching for a time at 
Wheeling, West Virginia, 
and later, for several Acars 




Alexander W'incliester Oinsmore. 

in Madison Countv, Kentuckv. 



He 



386 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

became a Christian in early life and for forty years, up to his death, 
was an active elder in the Presbyterian Church. 

Having been schooled in early life in the political views of the 
old Whig party, he allied himself with the opposition for the over- 
throw of the "Johnson Dynasty," as the Democrats in control of the 
State were called just before the Civil War. In the memorable 
contest between Greenwood and Hindman for a seat in Congress, and 
Richard Johnson and Henry M. Rector for governor, he ardently 
supported Hindman and Rector. A series of letters written b}^ him 
for the press at the time attracted state-wide attention, as well for 
literary merit as for forceful effectiveness, and were said to have been 
largely instrumental in the success of the cause to which they were 
contributed. His activity in that campaign was probably the cause 
of his being selected by the citizens of Benton County, without 
aspiration upon his part, to represent them as one of their delegates 
in the state convention called to meet in Little Rock in 1860 to 
consider the question of secession. He was intensely devoted to the 
Union and was one of the last to yield hope of an amicable settlement. 
After secession to the end of the struggle his heart was with the cause 
of the South. To get his famil}'- beyond the reach of invasion, he 
took them to Texas, where they remained until the end of hostilities, 
when he brought them home and joined with his people in building up 
the waste places. Such military service as he rendered was in the 
commissary department in Texas ; he was never active!}'' engaged in 
the field. In the infancy of the state university he was appointed a 
member of the board of trustees by the governor, and for a number of 
years devoted a large part of his time and energies to its interest. 

Often while engaged in the work of the university, he would 
travel on horseback from his home at Bentonville to Fayetteville, and 
after five or six hours of eft'ective work, return on the same day, thus 
making a round trip of fifty miles. Neither the protests of his 
family nor counsel of his physician could induce him to shield 
himself from inclement weather when he had a purpose that involved 
exposure. During convalescence from a protracted attack of la grippe, 
in disobedience of his physician's emphatic directions, he went out 
into a blizzard and was prostrated with pneumonia, to which he 
succumbed Februarv 17, 1894. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 387 

He married Miss Catharine Anderson, youngest daughter of 
Colonel Hugh A. Anderson of Benton County, Arkansas. The bridal 
party traveled on horseback over the Boston Mountains to Van ikiren 
where they embarked for Kentucky. Five children were born of this 
marriage, Hugh A. Dinsmore of Fay^tteville, Arkansas, sometime 
member of Congress; James H. Dinsmore of (ireenville, Texas; 
Grace D. Watson of Bentonville, Arkansas, and Annie I). McClure of 
Chickasha, Oklahoma, all of whom are still living. Edward A. Dins- 
more, the fourth child, died in 1888, three years after the death of his 
mother. 



Thomas A. Futrall was born on his father's farm in Randolph 
County, North Carolina, in the forties. lie received his elementary 
education under the direction of his father. WHiile a member of the 
Confederate army he joined a class of young men and received 
instruction in mathematics and languages from ])r(jfessors who had 
been teaching in the universities of the South. Tie took an active 
])art in the most important campaigns of the army of northern 
Virginia and was ])romoted several times for gallantry. He com- 
manded company G, 46th regiment. North Carolina infantry, in the 
army of north Virginia. He was severely wounded at the second 
battle of the Wilderness. He was promoted to the captaincy of his 
division. 

After the war closed he returned to his native State and reviewed 
his studies with Dr. Josiah 11. I>rooks. He then emigrated to West 
Tennessee and estal)lished a classical school at Cloverport. In 1884 
he was elected princij)al of the Marianna city schools, located at 
Marianna, Arkansas, where he taught for eighteen consecutive years. 
Resigning this position, he continued to superintend the Lee County 
schools until elected superintendent of the Arkansas School for the 
P)lind to fill out the unexpired term of the lamented Colonel O. C. 
(iray. At the close of his short term as superintendent of the blind 
school he returned to his home at Marianna, where he now resides. 
In 1906 he was a candidate for state superintendent of public instruc- 
tion for Arkansas and in a hotly contested race was defeated by a 
small margin. In addition to the places already mentioned he has 
held manv responsible positions, the most important of which are 



388 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

the following: State manager of the National Educational Associa- 
tion for Arkansas ; trustee of the University of Arkansas ; member of 
the American Institute of Civics; associate editor "Arkansas School 
Journal ;" chairman of committee appointed to select a suitable United 
States history for use in the public schools of Arkansas ; Mason of 
high degree ; county examiner of Lee County public schools ; enumera- 
tor of United States census in 1860, and again in 1870; vice-president 
National Educational Association ; state lecturer at Arkansas normal 
schools during State Superintendent Jordan's administration ; 
appointed by Dr. J. L. AI. Curry general agent Peabody Fund ; presi- 
dent Arkansas State Teachers' Association ; member of the Arkansas 
State Teachers' Association, and also of the National Educational 
Association of the United States. In 1900 the T^L. D. was conferred 
on him by the University of Arkansas. 

He was married to Miss Emma Headen June 21. 1867. As a 
result of this union seven children were born. 



W. S. Goodwin was born and reared at Warren, Arkansas. He 
attended the common schools of his home town until his seventeenth 
year when he entered the Farmville Academy near Duluth, Georgia. 
A year later he entered Professor N. E. Cooledge's Institute at 
Norcross, Georgia. He remained here only a short time when he 
took a business course in Moore's Business College at Atlanta. He 
then entered the teaching profession, and taught for a time in Bradley 
County, Arkansas. He then entered the University of Arkansas, and 
later took a course in the University of Mississippi. He was admitted 
to the bar in 1894 and has since practiced law at Warren. In 1895 
he represented Bradley County in the general assembly. He has 
held prominent political oiifices since then. In 1900 he was one of the 
presidential electors on the Democratic ticket in Arkansas. He served 
as state senator from the eighteenth senatorial district in the general 
assembly of 1905 and 1907. Pie was appointed as member of the board 
of trustees of the University of Arkansas in 1907. In 1910 he was 
nominated as the Democratic candidate for Congress. He was married 
to Miss Sue Meek on December 22, 1897. Two children have been 
born of this union, Shields Meek and Sara Margaret. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



389 



Judge Lafayette Gregg, son of Henry and Mary (Murrell) Greti^g, 
was born near Moulton in Lawrence County, Alabama, February 
6, 1825. His father was a natiye of Alabama, and his mother, 
though born in X^irginia. was reared in Tennessee. His parents 
moyed to Arkansas in 1833, when the boy was ten years old. 
He received his early education in the public schools of Washington 
County. After leaying the common schools he entered the Ozark 
Academy, but his attendance 
here was short and he 
entered the law office ni 
^^". D. Reagan. Here he 
received his only pro- 
fessional training. After 
having spent some years in 
the law office he was admit- 
ted to the bar and began the 
practice of law at Fayette- 
\ille. While practicing law 
he was also engaged in con- 
ducting an improved farm of 
about four hundred acres. 

In 1854 he was elected to 
the legislature and served 
during the session of 1854-55. 
Wlien his term in the state 
legislature expired he was 
elected prosecuting attorney 
of the fourth circuit in 1856. 
Fie continued in this office 

until 1861, when he resigned to enlist for service in the Civil War. Fie 
was made commander of the fourth Arkansas federal cavalry. 
During the year 1867-68, he served as chancellor of Pulaski Count}'. 
In 1868 he was made associate justice of the supreme court, wdiich 
])Osition he held until 1874. In 1889 he entered the Bank of Fayette- 
ville as its president. He was made commissioner from Arkansas to 
the World's Fair in Chicago. W4ien the State decided to establish a 
imiversity, he took a leading part in can_yassing Washington Count}' 




390 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



to secure subscriptions for its location in Fayetteville. He was 
appointed a member of the first board of trustees and devoted no little 
time and attention to the work of founding- the university and getting 
it properly organized. The records show that he took a leading part 
in looking after the erection of buildings and the organization of the 
faculty. The fact that the main building is so well constructed is said 
to have been due to his constant watchfulness. In 1886 he ran for 
the ofifiice of governor, but was defeated by Governor Hughes. He 
was married to Miss Mary A. Shreve of Kentuck3^ December 22. 1852. 
Of this union three sons and one daughter were born. He died 
November 1, 1891. 



Thomas Montague Gunter was born in Warren, Tennessee, 
September 7, 1824. He received his early education in the common 

schools of his native State ; 
he then entered Irvin College, 
from which he was graduated 
in 1850. He came to Fayette- 
ville, Arkansas, in 1853 and 
entered the law office of Gen- 
eral H. F. Thomason as a law 
student and was admitted to 
the bar in 1854. Before the 
Civil War came on he was a 
strong Union man, but when 
hostilities really began he cast 
his lot with the Confederate 
States. After the conflict was 
over he turned his attention 
to the practice of his profes- 
sion, and by his wise counsel 
aided in preserving- order and 
alleviating the sulTerings and 
bitterness of reconstruction. 
He rendered a valuable serv- 

Thomas Montague Gunter. ice tO the pCOplc of UOrthwCSt 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 391 

Arkansas by his efforts to secure the location of the University of 
Arkansas at Fayetteville. He canvassed the county in this behalf at 
his own expense and liis zeal and convincing argument, together with 
the confidence the people had in his judgment, were partly instru- 
mental in crowning this great educational movement with success. 

For forty years Colonel Gunter was one of the foremost citizens 
and lawyers of northwest Arkansas. He served as prosecuting 
attorney of his district, and was later sent as representative to 
Congress, where he served from 1872 to 1882. For eight years he was 
chairman of the committee on land claims and was a member of the 
committee on Indian affairs. At the end of his fifth term he retired 
voluntarily and engaged in agriculture and stock breeding. He built 
a large flouring mill at Siloam Springs. He passed all the chairs 
of the ^Masonic fraternity and was a worthy sir knight of Baldwin 
Commandery Xo. 4. From 1882 to 1886 he served on the board of 
trustees of the University of Arkansas. 

He was married to Miss Marcella Jackson in 1856. His wife 
died in 1858, and he subsequently married Miss Jennie Bragg of 
Charlestown. West Virginia, a relative of General Braxton Bragg. 
Three children survive this union. Judge Julius C Gunter of Denver, 
Colorado ; \A'alker T. Gunter, attorney, of Salt Lake City, and Mrs. 
Robert M. Forbes of Evanston, Illinois. He died in Fayetteville, 
januarv 12, 1904. 



C. C. Hamby, son of Thomas Jefferson and Xancy Ann Elizabeth 
Hamby, was born in Calhoun County, Mississippi, September 14, 
1851. He attended a common school and one session of a special 
grammar school. He came to Arkansas in fall of 1872 and attended 
high school at Booneville in the fall and winter of 1873-74. He moved 
to IMillville, Ouachita County, in spring of 1874, where he taught 
two terms of school. While teaching school he studied law privately 
at night, on Saturdays, and while not engaged in the school room. 
He was admitted to the bar at Camden, Arkansas, 1876, but he taught 
two terms of school to tide over the waiting period. He then located 
at Prescott, Arkansas, in October, 1878. and at once entered actively 
upon the practice of law. He was admitted to practice before the 



392 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Arkansas supreme court in 
1881 and the federal courts 
the same year. He was 
elected state senator from 
twentieth senatorial district 
in 1890 and at the close of 
first session in the spring- of 
1891 was elected president of 
the senate, and during- Gov- 
ernor Eagle's ilhiess in the 
summer of 1892 served as 
governor three or four 
months. At the session of 
the senate in 1893 he was 
made chairman of the judi- 
ciary committee of that 
body. In June, 1904, he was 
unanimously elected chair- 
man of the Democratic state 
convention at Hot Springs, 
and was voted the thanks 
of that body for fair and 
impartial ruHngs. He was appointed a member of the board of 
trustees of the University of Arkansas in 1897 and served for ten years. 
He has for several years been president of the school board of 
Prescott. He has been elected and served as W. M. of Prescott Lodge 
No. 80, A. F. & A. M., a number of times. At the annual session of 
the Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Arkansas, in 1889, he was elected 
grand orator, and at the session of that body in 1890 delivered the 
grand oration. In January, 1897, he was tendered and accepted the 
attorneyship for the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway 
Company in Southwest Arkansas. On September 1, 1909, he volun- 
tarily resigned that position, but at request of the railway company 
remained in the service until October 1, 1909. He has been actively 
engaged in practice of law in Prescott, Arkansas, since October, 1878. 
He is a Knight Templar Mason, also a 32 degree Scottish Rite Mason ; 




Christopher Columbus Hamby. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



393 



a member of Hugh de Payne Commandery No. 1 at Little Rock, 
Arkansas, and Albert Pike Consistory in the Valley of Little Rock. 
He is married and is the father of six children, five of whom are living". 



Richard Owen Herbert, son of Dr. Joseph and Harriet (Harris) 
Herbert, was born in Izard County, Arkansas, Novem1)er 10, 1861. 
He began his education at the La Crosse Colleg'iate Institute, where 
he continued his studies for several years. When a young- man he 
removed to Batesville, and while there attended the Arkansas College 
one or two terms. In 1880 he entered the University of Arkansas 
at Fayetteville, but remained 
in this institution only two 
years. He then removed to 
Nashville, Tennessee, to enter 
Vanderbilt University. I n 
1882 he graduated in phar- 
macy from this university. 
Mr. Herbert returned to 
Arkansas immediately after 
graduating- and entered the 
mercantile business at Mel- 
bourne, Arkansas, in 18 8 7. 
Here he assisted in establish- 
ing- a prosperous business. 
The firm of which Mr. Her- 
bert was a member dissolved, 
and in 1898 he removed to 
Greenwood, where he estab- 
lished the Sebastian County 
Bank, and was made cashier 
of the same. He remained in 
this position until in 1906, 
when he removed to Fayette- 
ville, Washington County, in order to become the vice-president of 
the Washing-ton County Bank. While vice-president of this bank, 
he was appointed one of the board of trustees of the state university 




RicharJ Owen Herbert. 



394 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



under Governor John S. Little's administration, a position which he 
how holds. He is one of the efficient members of the board. Mr. 
Herbert's business interest at Greenwood demanding his special 
attention, he again removed to that place in order to reassume his 
position as cashier of the Sebastian County Bank. Mr. Herbert was 
married to Miss Hattie M. Warner August 29, 1883. Seven children, 
five of whom survive, are the fruits of this union. 



Dudley Emerson Jones, son of Eldad and Maria A (Perry) Jones, 
was born January 30, 1829, in Clifton Park Township, Saratoga 
County, New York. His early life was passed upon his father's farm 
and he attended the district school until he was a little past the age 
of fifteen. This common school education laid the foundation for a 
deeper and more varied learning in later years. In October, 1845, 

when a little past the a.ge of 
fifteen, he was apprenticed 
to Honorable A. A. Van 
Vorst, the mayor for twenty 
years of the city of Schenec- 
tady, N. Y. 

Shortly after the first 
excitement caused by the 
discovery of gold in Cali- 
fornia he persuaded his 
father to purchase for him a 
share in a joint stock com- 
pany which bought and fitted 
out the bark "Nautilus" for 
the journey around Cape 
Horn. With a party of sev- 
enty-five other venturesome 
spirits, on February 23, 1849, 
he sailed from New York 
City for the land of gold. 
After a hazardous and tedi- 

Dudley Emerson Jones. OUS joumey of OVCr SCVCU 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 395 

months, they landed in San Francisco October 10 of the same year 
and shortly thereafter joined in the rush for the gold mines. He 
located on the American River in Placer County. California, at a 
place known as "Smith's Bar," where he began his mining operations. 
The next spring found him on the North Fork of the Yuba River. 
The following summer he returned to the American River and estab- 
lished a mercantile business at a place known as "Horse Shoe Bar." 

Soon the necessity for a safe and convenient means of crossing 
the river and encouraging traffic became apparent to him and he 
undertook the building of a good road over the mountains and the 
erection of a suspension bridge, the first bridge of any importance in 
the State of California. With the aid of his associates he carried 
this work to completion under great hardships, from the fact that 
all materials used in its construction had to be brought by wagon 
teams from Sacramento, which at that time was but a village. In 
1855 he moved to Keokuk, Iowa, and formed a business partnership. 
The firm was prosperous until the Civil War. Mr. Jones, in response 
to the call of arms, enlisted in the Union army, where his business and 
executive abilities promptly promoted him to the position of first 
lieutenant and quartermaster of the third Iowa cavalry. He went 
through the war and was honorably discharged at its close with his 
command at Little Rock, Arkansas. 

Mr. Jones was quick to see the future possibilities of the State of 
x\rkansas and of its capital city and so determined to settle there 
in business. Fle at once formed and established the firm of Jones, 
McDowell & Company, which, with its branch connections, Bussy & 
Company, of New Orleans and St. Louis, rapidly developed an 
enormous trade in the line of cotton commission, farming implements 
and hardware. In later years and after the dissolution of this firm, 
Mr. Jones incorporated the business of the Dudley E. Jones Company, 
of which he is the president and active manager. 

In 1874 Mr. Jones was appointed by Governor Elisha Baxter one 
of three commissioners, the others being Judge U. M. Rose and 
Gordon M. Peay, to canvass and officially count the votes of the .State 
and proclaim for or against the new constitution. For twenty years 
he served as foreman of the grand juries in his home county. Under 



396 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



the act of the legislature of Arkansas in 1874 reorganizing- the 
Arkansas Industrial University at Fayetteville, Mr. Jones was 
appointed a trustee, which position he held until 1880. Although a 
Republican, he had no sympathy with the carpet-baggers, and was 
very active in ferreting out corruption. He claims the honor of 
serving on a grand jury which forced the surrender of $50,000 of 
fraudulent Pulaski County bonds. He supported Governor Baxter 
in his contest with Brooks. In 1857 he joined the Hardin Lodge of 
the Masonic fraternity at Keokuk, Iowa. He was married to Miss 
Caroline Peck September 12, 1855. Of this union five children were 
born. 



James M. Johnson, son of James M. and Elizabeth Johnson, was 
born in Warren County, Tennessee, December 8, 1833. He was 
educated in the common schools of Fayetteville, Arkansas College, 

and the Ozark Institute. 
After leaving the institute 
he taught school for two 
years and then began the 
study of medicine under 
practitioners in Fayetteville. 
In 1857 he entered the Medi- 
cal College of St. Louis 
and remained two years. He 
then returned to Arkansas 
and settled at Huntsville, 
where he practiced medicine 
until the spring of 1862. 
Being a Union man, he went 
north and joined the federal 
army under General Curtis 
and remained with him until 
h e arrived at Helena, 
Arkansas. There he received 
authority from the military 
governor, John S. Phelps, to 
, Ai 1 I raise Arkansas troops, and 

James .\1. Johnson. , '^ ' 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 397 

he at once proceeded to raise the first regiment of Arkansas infantry, 
of which he was commissioned colonel. He also assisted in organizing 
other companies of infantry and cavalry. Having received orders 
to reinforce General Blunt at Fort Gibson. Indian Territory, he 
marched thither and the united forces succeeded in driving the 
enemy south. He then returned to Arkansas and attacked (ieneral 
Cable, nine miles above Fort Smith in Poteau River, drove him south 
and entered Fort Smith September 1, 1863. He was present at the 
battle of Cotton Plant and the massacre at Fort Pillow. 

Mr. Johnson was elected to Congress in 1864 from the third district 
and reelected in 1866, but was not allowed to take his seat. His 
family had gone to Illinois for safety during the war, but they 
returned to Arkansas in 1866. Upon the recommendation of General 
Grant he was made brevet brigadier-general by President Johnson 
in 1867. The same year he was elected lieutenant-governor of 
Arkansas and served until 1869, when Governor Powell Clayton 
appointed him secretary of state, to which position he was elected 
in November, 1872. He was personally acquainted with Abraham 
Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, U. S. Grant, Thaddeus Stevens, Roscoe 
Conkling, James G. Blaine, Rutherford B. Hayes, and James A. 
Garfield. He has been a Mason for over fifty years. September 10, 
1830, he married Miss Elizabeth Johnson of Madison County, who 
died August 21, 1884. Seven children were born of this union, 
Sarah Elizabeth. Albert P., Thomas M., James F., Thaddeus, Lincoln, 
Katie, and Charles. October 15, 1893. he married Mrs. Jennie Wilson 
of Whitener, Arkansas. For the past forty years his place of residence 
has been on a farm near Weslev. Arkansas. 



Gustave Jones, son of William R. and Kate (Hudson) Jones, was 
born in Jackson County, Arkansas, August 25, 1861. His father was 
a native of Kentucky, but early in 1851 he came to Arkansas where 
he reared his family. The family continued to reside in Jackson 
County, Arkansas, until 1895, but from 1887 until that time they 
spent the summers at Maryville, Missouri. In December, 1877, Mr. 



398 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Jones entered the freshman class at the University of Arkansas. 
On account of a severe attack of typhoid fever in December, 
1880, he had to drop out of the junior class, and hence graduated 
with the class of 1882. He taught school for four years after 
he left the university, two years at Maryville, Missouri, and 
two at Savannah, Missouri. During this time he read law and 

in 1886 he returned to Jack- 
son County, Arkansas. His 
father having sent him 
to school, told him he must 
thereafter make his own way. 
He kept books for a mer- 
cantile establishment and was 
office boy for a law firm for 
two years. He was admitted 
to the bar at Jacksonport and 
began the practice of law 
in December, 1888. In 1887 
he was appointed county 
examiner for Jackson County 
and held this position for 
about four years. This was 
one of the two offices he 
ever held, the other being 
mayor of Newport for a few 
months succeeding his uncle 
who died. He has been for 
about nine }^ears a member of the Newport school board and for 
the last five years president of the board. He was appointed a 
member of the board of trustees of the Universit}^ of Arkansas 
in 1907 for the second Congressional district by Acting Governor 
Moore. He was a delegate to the Democratic convention at 
Denver in 1908. He was married to Miss Julia Stevens August 
27, 1889. Of this union three daughters were born. His home is 
in Newport, Arkansas. 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



399 



James Walker Jones was born in lireckenridge County, Kentucky, 
November 23, 1821. When he was eleven years old his parents 
moved to Meade County where he lived until he was seventeen, when 
he left the farm with his worldly possessions tied up in a handkerchief. 
He first went to Big Springs, where he attended school and worked 
as ofifice boy for Doctor Summers, reading medicine under the wise 
guidance of the kind old doc- 
tor. In 1844 he entered the 
Louisville Medical College, 
where he later graduated 
with h o n o r. Immediately 
after his graduation he began 
the practice of medicine in 
l*)ig Springs. Two years later 
he m o V e d to Cloverport, 
wliere he had a large and 
lncrati\'e jiractice. In the 
fall of 1848 he located at 
Jacksonport, /\ r k a n s a s , 
where he practiced his pro- 
fession for t w e n t y-e i g h t 
years. In May, 1876, he 
m o V e d to Fayetteville, at 
wliich place he lived until his 
death. 

Dr. Jones was president 
of the Washington County 
Medical Society and was ^''""'' ^^'"^''"'' J°""- 

also an honored member of the Arkansas State Medical Association 
from the time of its reorganization in 1874. He was acting assistant 
surgeon of tlie 7th Iowa regiment in Jacksonport in 1864 and 1865. 
He was a member of the board of trustees of the university and, 
aside from his practice, this was the position which he valued most 
He worked hard for the success of the institution, and his influence 
brought many students from the southern counties. He took an 
active interest in church work, being a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, South. 




400 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



During- reconstruction days in Arkansas, Dr. Jones left the United 
States for a time and made a tour through Brazil, British Honduras, 
Guatemala, Panama and Cuba, with a view to emigrating. While in 
Havana he was in the office of Dr. Burgis of that city and assisted 
him in the treatment of yellow fever. He returned to Arkansas in 
1870 and resumed the practice of his profession. 

He became a Master Mason in 1842 at Big Springs, Kentucky, 
Lodge No. 118. Dr. Jones was first married May, 1845, in Brecken- 
ridge County, Kentucky, to Miss Mary Dowell. Two daughters were 
born of this marriage, Frances Amelia and Mar}^, both of whom are 
dead. Dr. Jones' second marriage was in Jackson County, Arkansas, 
October, 1851. to ^liss Savannah Prynne, daughter of Dr. Henry 
Prvnne. Two daughters, Alinerva Annie, who died in infancy, and 
Laura Rue, were born of this marriage. Dr. Jones died in Idaho 

Springs, Colorado, Septem- 
ber, 1885, and was buried in 
'ayetteville, Arkansas. 




John W. Keesee. 



John W. Keesee, son of 

Thomas A\ '. and Louis 
(Cross) Keesee, was born in 
Columbia, Maury Count y, 
Tennessee, August 8, 1838. 
Mis father was a native of 
Virginia and his mother was 
born in Tennessee. He grew 
to young manhood in his 
native town and there 
received h i s education i n 
Jackson College. In 1858 he 
came to Phillips County, 
Arkansas, and made his 
home on a plantation. He 
lived there until 1861 when, 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



401 



at the beiL^inning of the Civil War, he entered the Southern army. 
He served with General Hindman in Arkansas and Missouri, and a 
part of the time with General N. B. Forrest east of the Mississippi 
River. While serving in General Hindman's regiment he was raised 
to the rank of captain. After the close of the war he returned to his 
plantation in Arkansas and there set about to retrieve his broken 
fortune. He was at various times honored by his country and state 
in an ofBcial capacity. In 1892 he was elected to the state legislature 
and in 1898 was reelected to the same position. He stood high among 
the lawmakers of the State. He was appointed a member of the board 
of trustees of the University of Arkansas in April, 1889, and served in 
this capacity for four years. He was twice married, first in 1858, to 
Miss Louisa Drane. Of this union two daughters were born. His 
wife died while he was serving in the army of the Confederacy and 
the children were sent to live with their prandparents. On January 
23, 1866, he was married the 
second time to Miss Susan 
R. Johnsrjn. Of this union 
three children were born. He 
died June 6, 1904. His five 
children. J. W. Keesee of 
Helena, Jack and ^vlorris 
Keesee, Mrs. \\'. M. Rich- 
ardson of Latour, and Mrs. 
^Vool ridge of C ol u m b i a, 
Tennessee, survive him. 



William Henry Langford 

was born June 6th, 1856. at 
C h a m p a g n o 1 1 e, Union 
County, Arkansas. He pre- 
pared for college in the 
Eldorado high school and 
graduated from the Univer- 
sity of Arkansas with the 
B. A. degree in 1880. During 




William Henry Langford. 



402 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

vacations he taught school to get money to continue his education. He 
went to Little Rock in 1881 and was assistant clerk of the house of 
representatives. Afterwards he secured permission of Judge U. M. 
Rose to read law in his ofifice and under him. In 1883 he was licensed 
to practice in the circuit and supreme courts of the State and the 
federal court at Little Rock. While reading law he was private 
secretary to Governor James H. Berry and afterwards deputy 
secretary of state under Jacob Frolich. In 1886 he moved to Pine 
Bluff, Arkansas, where he became actively engaged in the cotton and 
wholesale grocery business. He established the Speers Company 
and became the president, manager and buyer for the first eight 
years of its existence. At the end of this period he moved to Little 
Rock and in less than a year's absence was called back to take 
the presidency of the Citizens Bank, which position he has held for 
the past twelve years. He built the first and only corn meal mill 
and grain elevator in Pine Bluff and the second cotton press there. 
He is a large stockholder in two large cotton-seed oil mills there. 
Pie was largely instrumental in bringing the third railway into Pine 
Bluff, the Pine Bluff' & Arkansas River Railway. He was originator 
of the Pine Bluff street railroad, of which he was chief builder and 
owner. He has been interested in the building of many manufacturing- 
plants in Pine Bluff' and has large land holdings in Jefferson and other 
counties of the State. 

Up to March, 1907, he had served continuously as a trustee of the 
University of Arkansas for eighteen years, a record of which he is 
justly proud. He has also taken an active interest in the development 
of the branch normal school for negroes in Pine Bluff. 

He was married to Miss Ida Speers November 23, 1886. Two sons, 
one of Avhom survi^^es, were born to them. 



Joseph W. Martin was born at Clinton, Green County, Alabama, 
June 6, 1836. His father was a Presbyterian minister. When Joseph 
was fourteen years old the family moved to Prairie County, Arkansas. 
Three years after this in 1853, he went to Princeton, New Jersey, 
and graduated in 1855. After graduation he taught school in 
Tennessee, but during this time he studied law. He was admitted 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



403 



to Ihc l)ar in 1857. lie returned to Arkansas the same vear and 
was licensed to ])ractiee. He located at Des Arc and ])racticed 
there until 18()0. That year he moved to Little Rock and became a 
partner to Colonel Sam W. Williams. In 1861 he enlisted in Colonel 
Lyon's regiment, in the sixth Arkansas infantry, and became captain 
of company K. lie took part in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, 
Murfreesboro and Chickamauga. being \v(nmded in the la.-t named 
engagement. When the war closed he returned to Little Rock in 
1865 and formed a partnership with Mr. Williams and Colonel Sol. F. 
Clark. I'his tirm continued until 1868. In 1872 he formed a partner- 
ship with V. W. Compton which continued until 1876. He was elected 
prosecuting- attorney in 1874. and judge of the sixth circuit in 1876 to 
serve out the unexpired term of Judge John J. Clendennin. In 1878 
he w^as reelected for a term of f(nir years. He was succeeded in 1882 
by Judge F. T. V'aughan. but in 1886 was again elected for a term of 

f o u r \' e a r s. H e was 
appointed a member of the 
l)oard of trustees of the 
University of Arkansas in 
18 8 2, and served in this 
ca])acity until 1886. He was 
married in 1866 t o IM i s s 
I<2mma C. IJeebe of Little 
Rock. 




William Mcllrov. 



William Mcllroy w^ a s 

born in Rockingham County, 
X o r t h Carolina. July 24, 
1812. son of James and Mary 
M c I 1 r o y. of Scotch-Irish 
descent. His father was a 
shoemaker by trade. H i s 
mother died wdien he was 
h\e years old. He spent his 
boyhood on the farm and 
recei\'ed a very limited edu- 
cation. In 1835 he abandoned 



404 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

farm life and began clerking in the store of Colonel John P. Long at 
Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he remained two years. In June, 1838, 
he settled with his family at the headwaters of the AVhite River 
in Madison County, Arkansas, where he engaged in farming and 
merchandising for about eleven years. In 1855 he opened a store in 
Fayetteville on a capital of $7,500. In 1872 he opened a bank in 
partnership with others, but three years later suffered heavy losses. 
He then opened an individual bank which he conducted with success 
for many years and which developed into the present Mcllroy Bank. 
The location of the university at Fa3^etteville proved a severe strain 
on his local patriotism as against attachment for his old home. 
He wanted the university here, but when the board selected a 
site which involved the sacrifice of his hearth and home he at first 
demurred. After considerable persuasion he was finally induced to 
sell his farm and give up his home in order that the university might 
have an abiding- place. After the university was organized he served 
as treasurer. 

Before the Civil War he affiliated with the Whig party; after 
the war with the Democratic party. He was a member of the 
Episcopal Church and served as a vestryman for thirty years. Mr. 
Mcllroy was married three times, first to Miss Missouri Van Dyke 
of South Carolina, of whom two children were born. He next married 
Mrs. Eliza Jane Russell in Kentucky in 1838, who died in Washington 
County, Arkansas, in 1864, aged sixty. In 1865 he married Miss 
Martha Brooks, a native of Tennessee. Of this union five children 
were born, William R., James H., Charles D., Anna May, and 
Mary Kate. 



John Campbell Mitchell was born on a farm near Cane Hill, 
Washington County, Arkansas, July 28, 1849. He is of Scotch-Irish 
parentage. Owing to the Civil War his advantages in early life were 
very poor. His opportunities were still more impaired by the death 
of his father, which left the care of the boy's mother and two sisters 
to him. He worked on the farm durinsf the summer and attended 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



405 



school at Cane Hill in the 
winter. After having^ com- 
pleted the junior year in the 
school at Cane Hill he 
engaged in teaching country 
schools, and continued in 
this work for several years. 
In 1879 he was elected prin- 
cipal of the Cincinnati Acad- 
emy and taught there for six 
years. In 1892 he was 
elected principal of Wash- 
ington school at Fayetteville, 
Arkansas, which position he 
held for four years. In 1896 
he was elected treasurer of 
Washington County and 
served in this capacity for 
four years, at which time he 
accepted the position as 
superintendent of the Fay- 
etteville schools. He held 
this position for five years until 1905. In January, 1899, he was 
appointed a member of the board of trustees of the university by 
Governor Jones and sereved six years. Being a strong believer in the 
higher education of women he worked zealously for an appropriation 
for a girls' dormitory. At one time when the building fund had 
become exhausted he and Captain Stroup, another member of the 
board, signed a personal note for five thousand dollars that the work 
might go on. He is now engaged in real estate, insurance and 
mercantile business in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He was married to 
Miss Mary L. West of Cincinnati in 1882. Five children, four of 
whom are living, have been born to them, Sam A. Mitchell, a lawyer 
in St. Louis ; John L. Mitchell, a merchant at Fayetteville, Arkansas ; 
Sibve and Ara E., who are at home. 



H^^^HBl! 


F'*^* 




L>#ilH' 








m ^ ^ ^^^^^H^i 




^mL ^ .Al^^^^^^^^Hi^^^ 



John Campbell Mitchell. 



406 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Harry Nelson Pharr, son of Henry Newton and Stella (Scott) 
Pharr, was born at La Grange, Lee County, Arkansas, May 8, 1875. 
He attended the Lee High School of La Grange, Arkansas, until 
March, 1890, when he entered the freshman class at the University 
of Arkansas, graduating in December, 1893, with the degree of B. C. E. 
In June, 1900, he received the degree of C. E. at the same institution. 

lie was from 1893 until 1897 
assistant engineer under his 
father in the construction of 
the levee of the St. Francis 
levee district on the Missis- 
sippi River. On the death 
of his father in 1897 he suc- 
ceeded him as chief engineer 
of the St. Francis levee dis- 
trict of Arkansas, which 
position he held until May, 
1907, practically completing 
the levee system of about 160 
miles in length. Since 1907 
he has been engaged in the 
practice of engineering as 
consulting engineer in Mem- 
phis, Tennessee. He served 
in this capacity in the con- 
struction of an important 
bridge across the St. Francis 
River at Madison, Arkansas ; 
also in municipal and other engineering work. He was appointed a 
member of the board of trustees of the University of Arkansas in 
1900 and served as such for about three years. In 1900 he became 
an associate member and in 1905 a member of the American Society 
of Civil Engineers. He is also a member of the Memphis Engineering 
Society and has served as its president. In 1907 he was appointed 
colonel and chief of engineers of the Arkansas state militia to serve 
two years. He was married to Miss Creola Strong September 12, 1907. 




Harry Nelson Pharr. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



407 



Samuel P. Pittman, son of J. C and Alary (Luttle) I'ittman, was 
born at Prairie Grove, Arkansas, June ll , 1836. He was educated in 
the common schools of his neighborhood and at Ozark Institute, 
Robert Alacklin being principal. Mr. Pittman's primary occupation 
has been that of farming and 
stock raising. He has also 
been prominently connected 
with the banking interests 
of Fayetteville. In 1884 he 
was one of six to organize 
the Washington County 
Bank, now known as the 
Arkansas National. He was 
president or vice-president 
of this institution until 1905. 
The following year he with 
others organized the First 
National Bank, of which he 
was president until his 
retirement from the banking- 
business tAvo or three years 
later. He is now living near 
Fayetteville. In 1876 he was 
elected by the legislattire 
trustee of the university to 
succeed M. F. Lake resigned. 
He retired by resignation from the board in 1882. He was married to 
Sarah Boone in May, 1858. Two children were born to them, both 
of whom are dead. 




Samuel Pinckney Pittman. 



Alonzo S. Prather was born in Vernon, Jennings County, Indiana, 
July 25, 1840. He received his early education in the common schools 
of his native county. He then entered Asbury University, now 
De Pauw University, at Greencastle, Indiana. His father gave him 
one hundred dollars as an endowment fund for scholarship ; Mr. 
Prather still has the original. He left school before his graduation 



408 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



and entered the Union army 
in 1861 in company G, 6th 
Indiana infantry. He was in 
the West Virginia campaign 
with which the war opened 
and was in the battles of 
Shiloh, Stone River, Chicka- 
mauga, Chattanooga, and the 
Atlanta campaign. After the 
war Mr. Prather read and 
practiced law. In 1870 he 
succeeded ex-Governor 
Murphy as p r o s e c u ti n g 
attorney of Madison County. 
He was receiver of the 
United States land office at 
Harrison, Arkansas, 18 7 5- 
1880. He was in 1872 super- 
intendent of schools of the 
fourth judicial circuit which 
was composed of Madison, 
Carroll, Boone, Marion, 
Newton, Searcy, and Van Buren counties. He put the free school 
system into operation and built about two hundred school houses. 
He connected the private colleges at Berryville, Bellefonte and Yell- 
ville with the public schools. 

Mr. Prather was a member of the first board of trustees of the 
university and was chairman of the building committee. He among 
others voted to locate the university at Fayetteville. He, with 
the help of Mr. John Clayton, located the site where the building 
now stands, let the contract and had the building well advanced 
when he was put out of office by the Baxter revolution. He 
left Arkansas in 1879 and settled at Mulvane, Kansas, where he 
was elected justice of the peace. In 1881 he moved to Missouri, where 
he has since resided. He has been elected to the lower house of the 
general assembly for five terms. He wrote a history of Boone County, 




Alonzo S. Prather. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



409 



Arkansas, which was read at the Centennial Celebration at Harrison, 
Arkansas, Jul}- 4, 1876. He placed a copy in a safe at Washington, 
D. C, just as it was locked for one hundred years. He wrote a 
poem in blank verse entitled "White River." He is a member of the 
Southern Presbyterian Church ; he is also an Odd Fellow and a Mason. 
He helped to organize the Confederate Home at Higginsville, 
Missouri, and made it and the St. James, Missouri, Federal Home 
state institutions. He was married to Miss Marie McMillan. Of this 
union eight children were born, six of whom survive. 



H. F. Reagan was born in Washington County, Arkansas. He 
was educated in the public schools of his county and at Cane Hill 
College, after which he engaged in teaching until he was elected 
county clerk, in which position he served two terms. In April, 1887, 
he purchased an interest in 
the "Arkansas Sentinel," suc- 
ceeding James R. Pettigrew, 
of the Utah Commission, who 
had died a few months before. 
With Colonel I. M. Patridge, 
he edited that journal eleven 
years, during which time he 
was an active member of the 
Arkansas Press Association, 
representing that body as a 
delegate to the National Edi- 
torial Association in the years 
1889 and 1896. 

In 1893, during the second 
administration of President 
Cleveland, he was appointed 
deputy stamp collector of 
internal revenue and served 
four years. During the latter 
part of Governor Fishback's 
administration he was elected Hugh French Reagan. 




410 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



treasurer of the University of Arkansas and served one year. In 
April, 1895, Governor Clark appointed him a member of the board of 
state charities, in which capacity he served two years. He served as 
secretary of the board of trustees of the University of Arkansas for 
eight years, including the entire administration of Governor Davis. 
He is now serving his seventh year as secretary of the Fayetteville 
National Building and Loan Association. 

The salaries of the offices he has held, save one, were very meager, 
but independent of the services he has rendered the public, he made 
several profitable investments which provided him with a competency 
and enabled him to fill the public positions efficiently. February 14, 
1884, he was married to Miss Mary Bell Agee of La Monte, Missouri. 
They have only one child, a son, Zenas Lytton Reagan, who was 
eraduated at the University of Arkansas in the class of 1908. 







Grandison D Royston. 



Grandison D. Royston, son 

of Joshua and Elizabeth 
(Watson) Royston, was born 
in Carter County, Tennessee, 
December 9, 1809. He received 
his early education in the 
common schools of his native 
state, and there prepared for 
an academic course which he 
took at a Presbyterian acad- 
emy in Washington County, 
Tennessee. He was for a time 
a schoolmate of the girl who 
married Andrew Johnson. 
After a thorough academic 
training, he entered the law 
office of Judge Emerson at 
Jonesboro, Tennessee, a n d 
was admitted to the bar in 
December, 1831. He came to 
Arkansas in 1832 and settled 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 411 

in Fayetteville, where he resided eight months. He then moved to 
\\'ashington, Arkansas, where he made his home until liis death in 
1889. After moving to Arkansas, General Royston began the practice 
of law. Then the State was his circuit, and with his clothes and 
library in a leather saddle bag, he rode over the State and practiced 
law. In 1833 General Royston was elected prosecuting attorney for 
the third judicial district of Arkansas. Finding the practice of law 
more lucrative, he resigned his position as prosecuting attorney and 
engaged in law practice. 

In 1835 he was elected to the convention to frame a constitution 
preparatory to the admission of Arkansas as a state; and in 1836 he 
was elected to the first legislature under the new state government 
and the following year he was elected speaker of the house. In 1841 
President Tyler appointed him United States district attorney for the 
district of Arkansas. He held this position only a short time when 
he resigned. In 1858 he was elected to the state senate from the 
district composed of the counties of Hempstead, Pike and Lafayette. 
At this session he became the father of the levee system of the State. 
In 1861 he was elected to the Confederate Congress and in that 
capacity he served his state for two years. He was not a believer in 
secession, but like many other men of his time he believed that his 
allegiance was first due his State. In 1874 he was elected from Hemp- 
stead County to the constitutional convention, and was made 
])resident of that body. In 1876 he w^as delegate from the State at 
large to the national Democratic convention and voted for Tilden and 
Hendricks. He was a member of the board of trustees of the 
University of Arkansas 1881-83. He was married to ]\Iiss Mar}-- 
Clarissa Bates in May; 1835. Of this marriage three children were 
born, all of whom survive: C. E. Royston, circuit clerk of Hemp- 
stead County ; William A. Royston, merchant, of Little Rock ; and 
Airs. Irene Jett of Little Rock. General Royston died at Washington, 
Arkansas, August 14, 1889. 



John Ferguson Rutherford was born near Fayette\ille in Washing- 
ton County, Arkansas, in 1859. He received his early training in the 
schools near his home and later entered the University of Arkansas. 



412 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



After leaving school he was employed by Reed and Ferguson, 
merchants in Fayetteville. He lived at Fayetteville until he was 
twenty years old. When he entered business he had no thought of 

becoming a lumberman, but 
his interest in this business 
was enlisted by the building 
of the St. Louis and San 
Francisco Railway south from 
Monett, Missouri. The line 
passes through a section of 
Arkansas rich in natural 
resources. Mr. Rutherford 
helped to build the line, his 
work consisting mainly in 
furnishing the bridge timbers 
and heavy construction mate- 
rial, which he cut from the 
native white oak found along 
the right of way. In 1885 he 
made an extended trip 
through southern Arkansas 
with the view of locating. He 
decided to locate at Pine 
Blufif, then a town of fifteen 
hundred. The company first 
formed was known as O. D. 
Peck Company. In 1889 the name was changed to the Blufif City 
Lumber Company. In the meantime Mr. Rutherford became asso- 
ciated with Mr. Charles La Due, a pioneer lumberman of that section 
of the State. They operated a planing mill at Cleo, Arkansas. After 
a time Mr. Rutherford bought out Mr. La Due's interest in the 
business and subsequently sold out to the Blufif City Lumber 
Company. 

A short time ago (1909) he submitted a proposition to the business 
men of Pine Bluff which was finally accepted. The proposition, 
which was the result of negotiations with the Rock Island system. 




John Ferguson Rutherford. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



413 



looks to the raising of fifty thousand dollars among the local 
merchants and business interests, as a bonus to be paid to secure 
the formation of a new railway company, and the extension of the 
line so that a traffic arrangement can be entered into with the Rock 
Island system. The rapid growth of the Blufif City Lumber Company 
is due to Mr. Rutherford's energy and unusual ability. His work in 
southern Arkansas is fast bringing that section of the State to the 
front rank. He was appointed to membership on the board of trustees 
of the University of Arkansas in 1907. He was married to Miss Jones 
of Little Rock. Three children, one son and two daughters, have been 
born to them. 



John N. Sarber was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, October 29, 
1838. He removed to Kansas City with his parents at the age of four- 
teen years, and two years later they removed to Manhattan, Kansas. 
From there he enlisted in the 
2d Kansas cavalry at the 
beginning of the Civil War 
and served as scout with the 
rank and pay of brigadier- 
general in that regiment until 
the close of the war. After 
the war he moved to Arkansas 
and was elected to the consti- 
tutional convention of 1868. 
He was elected to the state 
senate the same year and 
served in the sessions of 1868, 
1869 and 1871. In 1872 he was 
appointed by President Grant 
United States marshal for the 
western district of Arkansas 
and lived in Fort Smith 
during the one term he served 
as marshal. He then returned 
to Clarksville, where he lived 
until his death, October 23, John n. Sarber. 




414 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

1906. Shortly after the close of war he was admitted to the bar and 
practiced before all the courts of Arkansas. He was the undisputed 
leader of Republican politics in Johnson County and was for thirty- 
five years and until the time of his death chairman of the Republican 
organization of that county. He was one of the 306 delegates to 
the Republican National Convention of 1880 who, with Roscoe Conk- 
ling, stood until the last for the renomination of President Grant for 
a third term. He was a member of the first board of trustees for the 
Universitv of Arkansas and was chairman of the committee selected 
to locate the university. He resigned November 10, 1872. 

He was married to Miss Sue Rose December 5, 1866. Six children 
were born to them, four of whom survive. Their names are: Lucy, 
Frank, J. N. Sarber, Jr., May and Richard. 



Elhanan J, Searle, eldest son of James and Elizabeth (Quinn) 
Searle, was born at Royalton, Fairfield County, Ohio, January 18, 
1835. His ancestors, both paternal and maternal, were engaged in 
nearly all of the Indian wars of colonial days and in the war for 
independence. In 1855 Elhanan left home for the purpose of 
acquiring a thorough education, entering the Rock River Seminary 
at Mount Morris, Illinois, where he prepared for college. He entered 
Northwestern University at Evanston in 1856. He completed the 
course in three years, graduating in 1859 with the B. A. degree. He 
later received the A. M. from the same institution. While still in 
the Northwestern University he commenced the study of law under 
General Beveridge, of Chicago, and upon completion of his course there 
he went to Springfield, where he entered the office of Lincoln and 
Herndon. He passed the examination before the supreme court of 
the State in 1861 and was admitted to the bar. Mr. Searle entered 
the Union army as a private in company H, 10th Illinois volunteer 
cavalry. He served during the period of the war and was promoted 
from private to lieutenant-colonel. He took part in the battles of 
Cane Hill, Prairie Grove, and Fayetteville, Arkansas; Perryville, 
Indian Territory ; and Camden and Jenkins Ferr}^, Arkansas. 

It was through an incident of the war that Colonel Searle decided 
to locate in Arkansas at its conclusion. In Januar}^, 1863, Dr. J. M. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 415 

Johnson, a resident of that State, rec|ueste(i him to assist in the 
organization of a regiment of Arkansas troops. He consented and 
recruited the first Arkansas volunteer cavalry, of which he became 
lieutenant-colonel and with which he served until the close of the 
war, having been mustered out of the service August 10. 1865. He 
also assisted in recruiting the second and fourth regiments of 
volunteer cavalry of that State. 

Upon his discharge from military service he located in Arkansas 
and entered upon the practice of his profession in the western part 
of the State. On the 19th of February, 1866, Colonel Searle was 
commissioned as prosecuting attorney for the ninth judicial circuit 
of Arkansas and was also appointed United States commissioner for 
the western district of Arkansas. He also acted during this time 
as assistant attorney for the United States district and circuit courts 
for said district. These positions he filled until January 1, 1867, 
^vhen he was commissioned as circuit judge of the ninth judicial 
district by the provisional governor of the State. He served under 
this commission imtil July 22, 1868. when he was commissioned by 
Governor Clayton as an associate justice of the supreme court of the 
State and served nearly two years, when he was elected for a term 
of eight years to succeed himself November 5, 1872. Under this 
commission he served until the fall of 1874, when his term was 
cut short bv the inauguration of a new go\-ernment under a new state 
constitution. 

Colonel Searle during this time served on the state board of 
education for several years; also as one of the trustees of the 
Universit}' of Arkansas from its inception in 1871 to the time of his 
departure from the State. He in part ])re])ared the plan of organiza- 
tion and instruction for the institution. 

In the fall of 1875 Colonel Searle returned to Illinois and located 
in Chicago. Later he removed to Pana, wdiere he owned a large 
tract of land, and v/here he served for two terms as city attorney. 
In 1887 he returned to his old home in Rock Island County, Illinois. 
He retired from the active practice of the law and purchased a home 
in the city of Rock Island, where he lived until his death, August 18, 
1906. The bar of Rock Island Countv attended his funeral in a l)odv 



416 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



1 



and later held a memorial service attended by the members of the 
local bar, by members of the bar of surrounding counties and by 
judges of the circuit and supreme court of the State. 

Colonel Searle is survived by his widow, Cassie (Pierce) Searle, 
to whom he was married in 1861, and by two children, Charles and 
Miss Blanche Searle. 



T. M. Seawell was born at Yellville, Arkansas, August 24, 1873. 
He attended the public and private schools at that place until he 
was fourteen years of age, at which time he entered Central College at 
Fayette, Missouri, and afterwards Hendrix College while it was 
located at Altus, Arkansas. He then entered the law department of 
Washington and Lee University at Lexington, Virginia, from which 
he was graduated at the age of nineteen. He located in the practice 
of law at Little Rock and during the session of the general assembly 
in 1893, that body enacted a special law authorizing the supreme court 
to examine him and if found qualified to grant him a license to practice 
law. He was twenty years of age at that time. The examination 
was held and he was admitted to practice. He served about three 
years as deputy prosecuting attorney of that district, and was engaged 
in general practice in that city for about ten years. He is at 
present located at Springfield, Missouri, engaged in the practice of 
law, being a member of the firm of Hamlin and Seawell. He was a 
member of the board of trustees of the University of Arkansas under 
the administration of Governor Dan W. Jones, having been appointed 
to fill the unexpired term of W. H. Langford (1899-1900) of Pine Bluff. 
He was the youngest member ever serving on that board. 



Jerry Curtis South was born at Frankfort, Kentucky, March 24, 
1867, but came to Arkansas when he was six months old. He comes 
from a long line of illustrious ancestors. His father, Samuel South, 
was one of the Confederate soldiers who were voted medals by the 
Confederate Congress for gallant and meritorious conduct on the 
battlefield. His great-grandfather on the paternal side was General 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



417 



Samuel South of the war of 
1812. He was the witness whom 
Colonel Richard Malcomb 
Johnson relied upon for proof 
that it was he who killed 
Tecumseh in the battle of the 
Thames. Upon attaining 
school age Jerry Curtis South 
was sent to the public schools 
of Frankfort, Kentucky; and 
later to the Old Kentucky 
Military Institute, where he 
received the B. A. degree. He 
then took a law course in the 
University of Virginia. He 
has practiced law at Moun- 
tain Home, Arkansas, since 
1889. 

For ten years Mr. South 
was a member of the Arkan- 
sas legislature. He has been 
a delegate to state and 
national Democratic conven- 
tions for twenty years past. He was appointed a member of the board 
of trustees of the University of Arkansas and he served about three 
years, until the State was redistricted in such a way as to leave 
the city of Fayetteville in the district which he then represented, and 
the member from this district was appointed from Fayetteville. 
During his service upon said board of trustees he worked to secure 
a visit of the legislature as a body to the university. Being delegated 
to address the legislature he spoke on the educational needs of the 
State, and particularly pointed out the inadequacy of the university 
buildings then in use. It was his effort during his service upon the 
board to eliminate politics from the affairs of the university and to 
make merit the only consideration in the selection and retention of 
members of the faculty. He has repeatedly stated that his service upon 
this board was the most interesting and agreeable public service ever 




Jerry Curtis South. 



418 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



rendered by him, and always says that there was greater opportunity 
to accomplish something for the State of Arkansas in careful service 
upon this board than in any other position in any branch of the 
State's affairs. He was captain in the Arkansas volunteer infantry 
in the Spanish-American War, but was never sent to the front. He 
was married to Miss Ellen Chappel Hargis of Louisville, Kentucky, 
in December, 1908. Of this union one son, Jerry C. Jr., has been born. 



Henry Stroup was born at Selma, Alabama, August 14, 1861. His 
father moved to Arkansas when Henry was a small boy. In 1878, 
at the age of seventeen, he entered the University of Arkansas and 

received the B. A. degree in 
1883. After his graduation 
he entered the teaching pro- 
fession and was principal of 
the high school at Charles- 
ton, Arkansas. During this 
time he studied law and was 
admitted to the bar in 1885. 
The same year he was 
elected representative of 
Logan County and in 1886 
he was elected circuit clerk 
of Logan County. This posi- 
tion he held until 1890. At 
the outbreak of the Spanish- 
American War he recruited 
a company of one hundred 
and twenty-six men from 
Logan County, which 
entered the service in the 
first Arkansas volunteers as 

Henry Stroup. -rr -»«- oj. 

company K. Mr. Stroup was 
made captain of this company and served until the close of the war. 
He was appointed a trustee of the University of Arkansas in 1900 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



419 



and served eight years. He is at present a planter on an extensive 
scale, and is also engaged in the extension of the Arkansas Central 
Railway. He was married to Miss Ella Tittsworth in 1885. Of this 
union three sons, Almon, Henry Junior and Dwight, and three 
daughters, Zenia, Zinga, and Zeta have been born. 



John Calvin Walker, son of John and Eleanor Walker, was born 
in Lafayette County, Mississippi, March 24, 1839. He came to 
Arkansas in 1857, where he received his early education. After having 
attended the common schools for a short time he entered the high 
school at Monticello, Arkan- 
sas. H i s education was 
abruptly terminated by the 
breaking out of the Civil 
War. After the war he 
taught in the rural schools 
for three years. He then 
entered the medical depart- 
ment of Tulane University, 
from which he was gradu- 
ated in 1869. After his 
graduation he made his home 
a t Calhoun, Columbia 
County, Arkansas. He 
served Columbia County for 
two terms in the state legis- 
lature, first in 1873 and again 
in 1877-79. It was during 
his first term in the legis- 
lature that he was appointed 
as a member of the board 
of trustees of the University 
of Arkansas. Dr. Walker was married to Miss Salena Katherine 
Caver in March, 1864. Of this union two sons and one daughter 
were born. He died in 1879. 




John Calvin Walker. 



420 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



William Nicholas Yates was born at Cane Hill, Washington 
County, Arkansas, December 18, 1851. He was educated at Cane 
Hill College, from which he received the B. A. degree in 1874. Dr. 
Yates' preceptor in medicine was the venerable Dr. W. B. Welch of 

Fayetteville, Arkansas. He 
graduated i n medicine i n 
1878 at the old Missouri 
Medical College, now the 
medical department of 
Washington University, St. 
Louis. The first ten years 
of his professional life were 
spent at Cincinnati, Arkan- 
sas. He moved to Fayette- 
ville in May, 1889, where he 
has since lived and engaged 
in a general practice. H e 
was appointed a member of 
the board of trustees of the 
University of Arkansas by 
Governor Fishback in 1895, 
to fill out the unexpired 
term of Honorable J. N. Till- 
man, resigned. It was during 
Dr. Yates' term of service on 
the board that the university was changed from a summer to a winter 
school with a summer vacation. Dr. Yates was a strenuous advocate 
of this change and did all in his power to bring it about. From this 
change dates its greater growth and greater usefulness. Dr. Yates is 
a member of the Washington County Medical Association, and the 
Frisco System Medical Association, being a division suregon on the 
Frisco Railway System. He is married and has one son and one 
dauehter. 




William Nicholas Yates. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



421 



III. The Presidents. 

Noah Putnam Gates, son of Nathan and CaroHna (Davidson) 
Gates, was born near Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky, November i8, 
1832. His early education was obtained in church schools of Kentucky and 
Missouri. After having attended Chapel Hill College at Chapel Hill, 
Missouri, and Princeton College at Princeton, Kentucky, he entered the 
Illinois Normal University ; later he became a student in the University 
of Michigan. He 
received no degrees 
from these schools, but 
in 1880 the board of 
trustees of the Uni- 
versity of Arkansas 
conferred the A. M. 
upon him. 

His early ambition 
was to enter the min- 
istry , and his edu- 
cation had looked 
toward this calling. 
He took up teaching 
as a means of com- 
pleting his education, 
and as his love for 
this work grew he 
was convinced that his 
greatest sphere of use- 
fulness was in the 
school room. He was 
at the beginning of his 
career connected with 
public schools ; six 
years at Charleston, 

Illinois ; three years at Mattoon, and for a time at Little Rock, Arkansas. 
Successful work brought him more responsible positions, recognition in 
school circles of the State, and the friendship and advice of leading 




Noah Putnam Gates. 



422 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

educators. The rigorous winters of Illinois undermined his health, and 
in August, 1869, he resigned the superintendency of the school at Mattoon, 
to accept a similar position at Little Rock, Arkansas. In January, 1872, 
he resigned his position at Little Rock and accepted the work of organizing 
the University of Arkansas. As acting president of this institution his 
scope of usefulness was materially broadened. However, the presidency 
was not his chosen work ; he accepted it on the understanding that he 
should be given the normal department as soon as a president could be 
secured. He acted as president of the institution until June, 1873, at 
which time he was made principal of the normal department. He served 
in this capacity until 1875, when he was again called to the presidency. 
He continued as president until 1877 when he was again made principal 
of the normal department. He resigned in 1884 to accept the superin- 
tendency of the Fort Smith schools. He continued as superintendent until 
1889 when he returned to Fayetteville as superintendent of the schools 
there. In 1902 he retired because of illness. 

Professor Gates' services to the university in the early period of its 
existence were most valuable. The planning of work, employment of 
labor as well as teachers, the letting of contracts and the supervision of all 
classes of work devolved upon him ; and at the same time he did much 
of the teaching. He also found time to come into personal touch with the 
students, and he availed himself of the opportunity to know them in a 
personal way, and to influence and direct their development. He was 
active in state educational matters and traveled much during vacation in 
the interest of the university, delivering lectures and holding institutes. 

He soon recognized the disadvantages of Fayetteville's isolation and 
took an active part in every movement which promised railway connection. 
What is now the Frisco system is built largely over a route surveyed by 
an engineering party sent out by an organization of Fayetteville citizens, 
he being one of the active spirits. He is said to have paid a large part 
of the expense. He was also active in the development of Fayetteville 
and heartily supported any measures which improved the city. Mr. Gates 
was one of the pioneer educators of the State, having been the first 
superintendent and responsible for the first organization of the public 
school systems of Little Rock, Fort Smith, and Fayetteville. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



423 



He was married to Miss Lucy Cash, July 4, i860. Nine children were 
the fruits of this union. He died at Little Rock, Arkansas, April 18, 1909, 
and was accorded a public funeral in the university chapel at Fayetteville, 
attended by the cadets. 



Albert Webb Bishop, son of Calvin and Emily (Webb) Bishop, 
was born on January 8, 1832, in Alden, Erie County, New York. He 
received the degree of B. A. from Yale in 1853. 

The year after graduation he was principal of Cortland Academy, 
Cortland, N. Y. He then studied law two years in Buffalo, was for a 
time connected with the firm of Bowen & Rogers, and afterward practiced 
by himself until i860, 
when he removed to 
La Crosse, Wisconsin. 
From there he enlisted 
in the United States 
army in August, 1861, 
as second lieutenant of 
battery A, first Wis- 
consin light artillery, 
and was afterward 
captain of the second 
Wisconsin cavalry 
volunteers. He was 
then lieutenant-colonel 
of the first Arkansas 
cavalry volunteers, 
chief of cavalry of the 
district of southwest- 
ern Missouri, and 
commanded the post 
of Fort Smith, Arkan- 
sas. In 1864 he was 
appointed adjutant- 
general of Arkansas 
and, in order to devote Albert Webb Bishop. 




424 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

his attention fully to the office, resigned from the army in 1865. Two 
years later he became register in bankruptcy for the second district of 
Arkansas, and held that office until 1873. In 1871 the Arkansas 
Industrial University at Fayetteville was established by the legislature, 
and General Bishop became treasurer and one of its trustees, and 
from 1873 to 1875 was president. In 1875 he was again appointed 
adjutant general of the State, and the next year was the Republican 
candidate for governor of Arkansas. During most of his residence in 
the State his home was in Little Rock, where, beside his official duties, 
he carried on his law practice. In 1879 he returned to Buffalo and 
continued the practice of his profession. He was a public-spirited 
man and was one of the founders of the Young Men's Association, 
which preceded the public library. He was the author of "Loyalty on 
the Frontier." 

He married Miss Maria L., daughter of Henry and Hannah (Hamlin) 
Woodard, of Cortland, N. Y., September 15, 1857. She died in Buffalo 
in i860, and in 1871 General Bishop married Miss Kate Compton, of Little 
Rock, Arkansas. A daughter by the first marriage survives him. 

General Bishop died suddenly of heart disease at Buffalo, on November 
29, 1 901, in his 70th year. 



Daniel Harvey Hill was born at Hill's Iron Works, York District, 
South Carolina, July 12, 182 1. He was the son of Solomon Hill and a 
grandson of two Revolutionary soldiers, Colonel William Hill and Thomas 
Cabeen. He spent his youth at his home, but later entered West Point, 
from which he was graduated in 1842 in the engineer corps. That being 
full he was assigned to the artillery. He went into the Mexican War as 
second Heutenant of artillery, but was promoted to first lieutenant 
for gallantry at Contreras and Churubusco. He was again promoted 
for gallantry, this time to the rank of captain, and was later made 
brevet major for gallantry in storming Chapultepec. The State of 
South Carolina presented him with a gold sword in recognition of the 
honor he reflected upon her in this war. In 1849 he resigned from 
the army and accepted the chair of mathematics in Washington 
College, now Washington and Lee University. He spent six 
years here, then accepted a similar chair in Davidson College, North 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



425 



Carolina. After hav- 
ing served four years 
in this institution he 
resigned to enter the 
service of the North 
Carolina Military 
Institute, as super- 
intendent. He con- 
tinned in this 
position until the 
Civil War. 

When the call for 
volunteers came he 
responded and be- 
came colonel of the 
1st North Carolina 
regiment. On May 
6, 1861, in command 
of his regiment he 
fought the first land 
battle of the war, 
defeating General B. 
F. Butler. In Sep- 
tember, 1861, he was 
promoted to briga- 
dier general, and in 

February, 1862, he was made major general. To follow his career 
as major general would be to write a history of the army of Northern 
Virginia. He took a leading part in the Peninsular campaign, the 
Seven Day's Battle and the Maryland campaign. While participating 
in most of the great battles of the army of Northern Virginia his most 
noted services were at Seven Pines, Gaines' Mill, South Mountain and 
Sharpsburg. 

After the battle of Fredericksburg he assumed command of the army 
in North Carolina, but was later recalled to take command of the defenses 
of Petersburg and Richmond. In July, 1863, President Davis appointed 
him lieutenant-general and assigned him to command in the army of 




Daniel Harvey Hill. 



426 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

General Joseph E. Johnston. He was later changed to the army of 
General Bragg. He was in all the movements leading up to the battle of 
Chickamauga and took an important part in that battle. 

At the close of the war he returned to North Carolina and established 
a monthly magazine, "The Land We Love," at Charlotte. This paper was 
devoted to the literature and history of the South. In 1869 it was 
merged with the "New Eclectic Magazine" of Baltimore. General Hill 
then established a newspaper, "The Southern Home." This continued in 
circulation until the reconstruction government disappeared from the 
State. It was no longer needed. In 1877 General Hill accepted the 
presidency of the University of Arkansas. His administration is one 
of the most efficient in the history of the institution. He dropped some 
of the lower classes of the preparatory department, reintroduced the 
demerit system, raised standards, increased the attendance and brought 
the university to the attention of the State. General Hill himself taught 
mental and moral philosophy and political economy. He won the 
confidence and esteem of his students and was affectionately called General 
Hill by them. He had a somewhat stern demeanor, but was of a kindly 
disposition. The unpardonable sin in his eyes was drunkenness. If a 
boy drank intoxicating liquors and the fact came to the attention of the 
general, the boy was promptly expelled. He insisted that the degree of 
intoxication was of small consequence and refused to distinguish between 
a "gentlemanly tight" and a "beastly drunk." He was a devout christian 
and impressed the students with the necessity of a religious life. 

In 1882 the board of trustees conferred on him the degree of LL. D. 
For a fuller statement of his work in connection with the university see 
the chapter devoted to his administration. He resigned in 1884 and went 
to southern Georgia for his health. After resting a year he accepted the 
presidency of the A. & M. College at Milledgeville. His son, D. H. 
Hill, Jr., was in the faculty and relieved him of many of the burdens of 
administration, but failing health compelled him to resign in 1889. He 
returned to his old home in Charlotte, North Carolina. He died there 
September 24, 1889, and was buried at Davidson College, North Carolina. 

General Hill was married to Miss Isabella Morrison on November 24, 
1848. Of this marriage were born nine children, five of whom are living, 
viz., Eugenia, wife of Thos. J. Arnold, of Beverly, West Virginia; Dr. 
Randolph W. Hill, Los Angeles ; Miss Nancy Lee Hill, D. H. Hill, Jr., 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



427 



vice-president and professor of English, North CaroHna A. & M. College, 
and Joseph M. Hill, ex-chief justice of Arkansas, Fort Smith. 



George Mathews Edgar, LL. D., was born March 1, 1837, at Union, 
Monroe County, Virginia, of Scotch-Irish parentage. After receiving an 
elementary education, he entered the Virginia Military Institute at Lexing- 
ton, January i, 1853. He graduated in July, 1856, fifth in his class. The 
institution conferred no degrees. A year later he became assistant 
professor in his alma mater and assisted Major William Gilham in giving 
laboratory instruction 
in chemistry. In 1859 
he accepted the pro- 
fessorship of natural 
philosophy and astron- 
omy in the North 
Carolina Military 
Institute at Charlotte, 
and in the autumn of 
the following year he 
became professor of 
natural science in the 
Florida State Semi- 
nary at Tallahassee, 
where he was at work 
when the Civil War 
broke out. 

April 2 Professor 
Edgar enlisted as a 
private, and at Fort 
Barancas, near Pensa- 
cola, he served as ser- 
geant-major and drill 
master of the first 
Florida regiment. 
Soon after the seces- 
sion of Virginia he obtained a discharge, returned to his native state, and 




George Mathews Edgar. 



428 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

assisted in raising a company in his home county, of which he was made 
first Heutenant. His company took part in the Kanawha Valley campaign, 
and as a result Professor Edgar was made captain. Detached from the 
Wise legion in the winter, his company became one of five companies to 
form a battalion, the 26th Virginia, sometimes called Edgar's battalion, of 
which he was elected major, in the spring, and later lieutenant-colonel. 
As commander of this battalion he, for three years, participated in many 
engagements, chief of which were the battles of Lewisburg, where he 
was shot through the chest, and Rocky Gap, New Market, Second Cold 
Harbor and Winchester, where he and his company rendered important 
service. At Winchester he was captured and for a time he suffered the 
misfortunes of a prisoner. He was later paroled because the condition 
of his health rendered him unfit for service. He was later exchanged, and 
recovering his health he recruited a brigade which he commanded until 
Lee's surrender. The ladies of Lewisburg presented him, in 1863, a sword 
in honor of his service in defending the town. The courage and efficiency 
of Colonel Edgar in war are attested by the reports of superior officers 
to be found in the Records of the War of the Rebellion. 

The war over, Colonel Edgar entered the University of Virginia in 
order to prepare himself more thoroughly for the work of an educator. 
Here he studied mathematics, physics and chemistry until the spring of 
1866, when he accepted the chair of mathematics in Oakland College, 
Mississippi. Here he taught for two and a half years, also being chairman 
of the faculty for a time. Here he married Miss Rebecca Fry, daughter 
of Judge Joseph L. Fry, of Lewisburg, West Virginia. Of this marriage 
two daughters and four sons were born. All received a college education. 
His son, George, an electrician, was killed by electricity in 1898; John 
Edgar is a wholesale grain merchant in Memphis ; a third son. Bliss, is 
principal of Edgar's School for Boys at Montgomery, Alabama; Graham 
Edgar, a Ph. D. of Yale, is instructor in chemistry in the University of 
Virginia ; his two daughters are the wives respectively of Dr. J. T. 
Vansant, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Professor Ormond Somerville, 
of the law department of the University of Alabama. 

In 1868 Colonel Edgar resigned his position in Oakland College and 
for fifteen years he conducted schools for boys and girls in Kentucky, 
Franklin Female College, Edgar Institute, Anchorage Training School 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 429 

for Boys, and Bowling- Green Female College. In June, 1884, he was 
elected president of the University of Arkansas. He assumed the office 
at a time when there was a bitter controversy in the faculty. He attempted 
to administer the institution with the old faculty of General Hill. In this 
he was only partly successful. However, the general assembly of 1885 
relieved him of further embarrassment by calling for the reorganization 
of the university. Upon the basis of this act the board made a clean sweep 
of the whole faculty and gave the president a new corps of instructors. 
His administration is also marked by the growth of an agrarian movement 
in the State, which culminated in 1887 in an act calling for the complete 
reorganization of the university along agricultural and industrial lines. 
To this legislation Colonel Edgar, though he had favored industrial 
education, was opposed, and feeling himself out of touch with the new 
situation, he resigned in June, 1887. 

A few weeks after his resignation Colonel Edgar accepted the 
presidency of the Florida State Seminary at Tallahasse, where he had 
served as professor before the war. During the five years of his connection 
with the seminary he added to its buildings, raised its course of study and 
strengthened its equipments. From here he went to the University of 
Alabama in 1892 as professor of physics and astronomy, where he secured 
the necessary appropriation with which to enlarge the equipment of the 
department. Since his retirement from the university in 1898 he has 
served as professor of science in Occidental College, California, and as 
principal of training schools in Tennessee and Kentucky, and has lectured 
on "Stonewall Jackson." He has prepared and delivered many addresses 
on scientific and pedagogical subjects, but has never published them. He 
is living at Paris, Kentucky. 



Edward Hunter Murfee, son of James Wilson and Margaret 
(Parker) Murfee, was born at Murfee's Depot, Southampton County, Vir- 
ginia. When about sixteen years old he entered the University of Alabama, 
from which he received the degree of Master of Arts. He was a member of 
the Alabama Corps of Cadets when it was mustered into the Confederate 
service. The LL. D. was conferred upon him by Bethel College, 
Kentucky, and by Wake Forest College, North Carolina. He was elected 



430 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



to a membership in the American Society for the Advancement of 

Science and offered a 
scholarship in the 
London Society of 
Science. At the age 
of about twenty-two 
he taught school in 
Demopolis, Alabama, 
from which place he 
went to New Orleans 
and entered commer- 
cial life. 

At the age of 
twenty-six he was 
given the chair of 
military engineering 
in his alma mater, the 
University of Ala- 
bama. From this 
place he went to the 
University of Tennes- 
see and filled the chair 
of English. Leaving 
this college, he moved 
to Mississippi and or- 
ganized the Missis- 
sippi Military Insti- 
tute, securing for it, through Senator L. Q. C. Lamar, the first army 
and military equipment, detailed for school purposes in Mississippi. The 
school was first located at West Point, Mississippi, was moved to Aberdeen 
and finally to Pass Christian, where it secured patronage from many states, 
but principally from the city of New Orleans. After the burning of the 
institute at Pass Christian, Dr. Murfee, in 1885, was elected to the chair 
of mathematics and logic in the University of Arkansas, which chair he 
held two years, when he was appointed acting president for one year. At 
the expiration of this time, he was elected president and continued in this 




Edward Hunter Murfee. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



431 



position until 1894, thus having spent about nine years in the university. 
He had the gratification of seeing a large increase in attendance during his 
administration. His last report to the board of trustees showed an enroll- 
ment of about seven hundred students in the departments at Fayetteville, 
over nine hundred including all departments. From Fayetteville he was 
called to the Alamaba Central College at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and since 
has filled chairs in other colleges. He has been at Brenau College, 
Gainesville, Georgia, about five years, where he is dean of the faculty and 
professor of natural science. He was married to Miss Odella Oter 
Manning. Of this union three sons and three daughters were born ; John 
Manning, Harvard and Sidney and Nellie, Gertrude Otts and Alice Odella. 



John Lee Bu- 
chanan, son of Pat- 
rick C. and Margaret 
(Graham) Buchanan, 
was born in Smyth 
County, Virginia, 
June 19, 1 83 1. Both 
his parents were of 
Scotch-Irish descent. 
He was brought up 
on his father's farm, in 
a comparatively new 
country and received 
his early education in 
his own and adjacent 
neighborhoods. I n 
1848-49 he was a 
clerk in a mercantile 
house. In this position 
he received a valuable 
business training and 
for this and other rea- 
sons he was offered a 




John Lee Buchanan. 



432 HISTORY OF. THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

partnership in the house, which he decHned. In the summer of 1850 he 
taught a private school and during the winter following pursued his studies 
under an efficient teacher. In 1851 he entered Emory and Henry College 
and during the year 1853-54 he was employed as an assistant instructor 
in the college. In June, 1855, he won the oratorical prize. He graduated 
in 1856 with the highest honor of his class and also won the prizes in Latin 
and Greek. During the two years following his graduation he filled the 
chair of ancient languages in his alma mater, taking the place of Prof. 
W. E. Peters, then on leave of absence in Europe. In June, 1858, he was 
elected professor in the same institution, and a year later was given the 
M. A. degree. 

During the war between the states he served in a section of the 
ordnance department of the Confederate government, superintending the 
collection and shipments of ammunition materials to that department in 
Richmond, Virginia. After the war closed Emory and Henry College 
was reopened and Professor Buchanan resumed the duties of his chair 
and continued therein until 1878. He resigned in that year, having been 
elected to the chair of Latin in Vanderbilt University. In June, 1877, 
Emory and Henry College conferred upon him the degree of LL. D. In 
1879 he was elected to the presidency of Emory and Henry College, but 
he did not continue long- in that position, as he was invited to^ take charge 
of the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College with a view to the 
reorganization and betterment of that institution. In 1884 he was 
appointed, by the legislature of Virginia, a member of the board of trustees 
to organize the State Female Normal School. The same year he was 
offered a professorship in the University of Tennessee, but withdrew his 
acceptance on his election by the legislature of Virginia in 1885 to the 
office of state superintendent of public schools. By virtue of this position 
he was an ex-officio member of the board of trustees of the University of 
Virginia. He took an active part in reorganizing the College of William 
and Mary, and was urged by the board of trustees to accept the presidency 
of that institution, but he declined because of his purpose to complete his 
term as state superintendent. 

After his term expired in 1889 he resumed his profession, and in 1890 
was elected to the chair of Latin in Randolph-Macon College. In 1894 
he was elected to the presidency of the University of Arkansas, which 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 433 

position he held until 1902 when he voluntarily resigned because of 
impaired health and advanced age. On his accession to the presidency 
he exerted his energies to bring the institution before the people of the 
State, and to enlist their sympathies in the work that it was doing. He 
labored to build up all the departments of the institution, to raise the 
standard of scholarship, and to improve the moral atmosphere. During 
Dr. Buchanan's administration the vacation was changed from winter to 
summer : the B. class in the preparator\- department was abolished ; the 
chair of economics and sociology was established and a professor appointed 
therein ; the department of history was detached from pedagog}- and made 
an independent department : the departments of civil and electrical engi- 
neering were detached from mechanical engineering and made separate 
departments. The department of elocution and physical culture was 
reorganized and provided with quarters. A mechanical hall was erected ; 
Hill Hall, a dormitory for boys, was opened ; the campus was improved 
and many other valuable improvements were made. \'aluable additions 
were made to the general librar} . Dr. Buchanan's only published writings 
are contained in the annual school reports of Virginia for the years 
1887-90: in the Virginia School Journal for the same year, and in the 
biennial reports of the board of trustees and officers of the University of 
Arkansas for the years 1894-02. He was married to Miss Frances Eliza- 
beth Wiley on August 4, 1859. Of this union nine children were bom, 
five of whom survive. He is now living in Fayetteville, Arkansas. 



Henry Simms Hartzog was born in Barnwell County, South Caro- 
lina. July 17. 1866. His parents were Samuel J. and Mary (Owens) 
Hartzog. He received his elementary education in the common schools. 
In 1882 in a competitive examination he w^as awarded a state beneficiary 
in the South Carolina Military Academy, from which institution he took 
the B. S. degree in 1886. He thereupon entered and graduated from the 
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville. Kentucky. He 
received the LL. D. degree from Mercer University in 1900. 

After graduation he entered educational work and has continued an 
educator since. He was superintendent of Johnston Institute until 1897, 



434 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



when he was elected 
to the presidency of 
Clemson Agricultural 
College, Clemson, 
South Carolina. This 
position he held until 
1902. For the same 
period he was director 
of the Experiment 
Station of South 
Carolina, operated in 
connection with the 
college. From 1902 
to 1905 he was presi- 
dent of the University 
of Arkansas. He is a 
happy speaker and a 
man of energy and 
enthusiasm. In the 
short time of his ad- 
ministration he suc- 
ceeded in bringing the 
university promi- 
nently before the 
people of the State, 
secured a more liberal 
support at the hands of the legislature, and increased the attendance. His 
administration is also noteworthy for the new buildings provided. In 1903 
the Engineering Hall was secured, and in 1905 appropriations were 
secured for six buildings — agriculture, chemistry, dairy, infirmary and 
two dormitories. The teaching force was materially increased. 

Dr. Hartzog has also served as an advisory committeeman of the 
National Good Roads Association. He has been an active worker for 
good roads as well as for popular education. He has also been in demand 
as a Chautauqua lecturer. Since 1907 he has been president of Ouachita 
College. His most important service to that institution has been in 




Henry Simms Hartzog. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



435 



inspiring greater confidence in the institution, in heading a movement to 
pay off the debt and in paying the teachers better salaries. 



John Newton Tillman was born near Springfield, Missouri, 
December 13, 1859. When he was but a boy his parents moved 10 Wash- 
ington County, Arkansas, where he received his early education in the pub- 
lic schools. After leaving the public schools he entered the University of 
Arkansas, from which he was graduated in 1880 with the degree of 
Bachelor of Latin Letters. After his graduation he entered the teaching 
profession and taught in the public schools of Arkansas for three 



years. From 1881 
ington County. Dur- 
ing his career as a 
teacher he studied law 
and was admitted to 
the bar in July, 1883. 
He was then elected 
circuit clerk of Wash- 
ington County and 
served in that capac- 
ity for four years, 
1884-1888. Reserved 
one term in the state 
senate, 1889-1891. 
After this he was 
elected prosecuting 
attorney for the fourth 
judicial district in 
1892, which position 
he held for six years. 
In 1899 he was made 
circuit judge of the 
fourth judicial circuit. 
During his term as 



was county exammer 



Wash- 




John Newton Tillman. 



436 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

circuit judge he rendered invaluable service to Arkansas by strict enforce- 
ment of the liquor laws and in breaking up the illicit traffic in whiskey. He 
is the author of the decision that the holding of a federal license in 
prohibition territory i* prima facie evidence of guilt and is sufficient to 
warrant an indictment of the one who holds such license. The decision 
was upheld on appeal. Since leaving the bench President Tillman has 
taken an active interest in the prohibition cause and has made many 
addresses in its behalf. For the past four years he has lectured extensively 
on Chautauqua and lyceum courses in Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and 
Oklahoma. He is also an author and has contributed stories to various 
magazines. He is a member of the Arkansas State Teachers' Association, 
the National Association of State Universities and the National Educa- 
tional Association. In 1907 the University of Mississippi conferred on 
him the degree of LL. D. 

In 1905 Judge Tillman was somewhat unexpectedly called to the 
presidency of his alma mater. While he had been out of the teaching 
profession for many years, his interest in the institution had been practi- 
cally continuous since his graduation. He first served as president of the 
alumni association. While in the senate he was active in promoting the 
welfare of the University and was instrumental in securing the repeal of 
some laws which hampered its development. From 1893 to 1895 he 
served on the board of trustees and was one of the most active members 
during that time. In addition to these public services his executive 
abilities were well known and were thought to be such as to fit him for 
the presidency. He at once took hold of the work and has prosecuted it 
with vigor ever since. The more noteworthy achievements of his adminis- 
tration are the development of the College of Agriculture, raising of the 
entrance requirements, the abolition of the A class in the preparatory 
department and the prospective abolition of the entire department in 191 1, 
and the large increase in the instructional force and the number of students. 
The former has grown from forty-six in 1904-5 to ninety in 1908-9 ; the 
latter from 810 to 1,133 i^"^ the same period. The most gratifying increase 
among the students has been in the collegiate department, from 381 to 620. 

March 4, 1885, President Tillman was married to Miss Temple Walker. 
Of this union three children have been born, John W., Fred A. and 
Kathleen. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



437 



IV. The Faculty. 

Charles Frederick Adams, son of William Carroll and Sarah 
(Herd) Adams, was born at Atherton, Missouri, April 4, 1877. I'oth 
his parents were of Virginian families. He spent his early years on a 
farm near his native town. After his tenth year his parents moved to 
Indej)endence, Missouri, and later to Excelsior Springs. At the age 
of sixteen he entered the college of agriculture in the University of 
Missouri. He graduated in 
1897 at the ag-e of twenty 
witii the highest honors of 
his class. In the fall of 1899 
he entered the sophomore 
class in the Kansas City 
Medical College, which later 
affiliated with the University 
of Kansas. In the medical 
school he was assistant in 
the laboratories of histology, 
pathology and bacteriology 
in the Kansas City Dental 
College, a position which lie 
held until 1904. He received 
the M. D. in 1902 and took 
up residence in Lawrence, 
Kansas. In the University 
of Kansas the Snow research 
scholarship in entomology 
was created for him. This 
position, together with the 
above-mentioned chair of histology, he held until June, 1904. The 
year previous he received the A. M. from the University of Kansas. 
In 1904 he entered the graduate school of the University of Chicago, 
where he held a position as assistant in the department of zoology. 
The following summer he was a student at the Marine Biological 
Laboratory at Wood's Hole, Massachusetts. 




Charles Fredrick Adams. 



438 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

In the fall of 1905 he entered upon his duties as entomologist 
in the Arkansas Experiment Station at Fayetteville. He was made 
acting- director of the agricultural experiment station in November, 
1908, and the following year was made dean and director of the 
College of Agriculture. He is a member of the American Association 
for the Advancement of Science, the Association of Economic Ento- 
mologists, the Entomological Society of America, and the honorary 
scientific society, Sigma Xi. He is the author of the following 
publications : 

"The Tachina and Syrphus Flies of Jackson County," Nautilus, 
Kansas City, 1900; "Dipterological Contributions," Kansas University 
Science Bulletin 11. No. 2, 1903; "Descriptions of Six New Species," 
Ibid. II, No. 14. 1^103; "Notes and Descriptions of North American 
Diptera," Ibid. II, No. 14. 1903; '-Descriptions of New Oscinidae," 
Entomological News, X\\ 303, 1904; "On the North American Species 
of Siphonella," Psyche, II, No. 5. 1904; "On the North American 
Species of Oscinis," Entomological News, XVI, No. 4, 1903 ; "New 
Species of Mycetophilid?e," in Banta's "Fauna of Mayfield's Cave," 
1905; "Diptera Africana," Kansas University Science Bulletin, HI, 
No. 6, 1905 ; "Notes on North American Crassiseta v. Ross," Journal 
New York Entomological Society, September, 1908; Manuscript for 
the "Families of Tachinid?e and Dexiidse" in the third edition of Willis- 
ton's Alanual of the North xA.merican Diptera, 1908; "Some Insects of 
Orchard and Other h>uits,"' Bulletin No. 2, Arkansas Experiment 
Station, 1907; "The San Jose Scale in Arkansas," Bulletin No. 102, 
Arkansas Experiment Station, 1S)08. 



Carroll F. Armistead was born in Arkansas April 18, 1872. He 
received his early education in the common schools of his state, and 
later entered the University of Arkansas, from which he was graduated 
in 1893. He entered the army of volunteers in May, 1898, and was 
made captain of a company of the Arkansas infantry. After being 
honorably discharged from the volunteers he was appointed second lieu- 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



439 



tenant of artillery in 1898. He 
was made second lieutenant 
of the second artillery in 
July of the same year. He 
served in this capacity until 
1*^01, when he was made 
first lieutenant of the artil- 
lery corps. In October of 
the same year he was made 
captain of the artillery. 
He was transferred to the 
twenty-first infantry with 
the rank of captain. He was 
detailed for service in the 
University of Arkansas as 
professor of military science 
and tactics and commandant 
of cadets August 31, 1907. 
This position be held for two 
years, when he resumed com- 
mand of his company and 
sailed for the Philippines. 




Carroll F. .\rniistead. 



Robert Love Bennett was born in Lee County, Alabama, November 
16, 1868. He entered the Alabama A. and M. College and graduated 
in 1888. receiving the B. S. degree. Two years after his graduation 
he served on the United States River Survey. During the year 
1901-02 he was in charge of a branch of the Arkansas Experiment 
Station at Newport. From 1902 to 1903 he was director of the 
Arkansas Experiment Station. In 1903 he accepted the position 
as director of the Texas State Farmers' Institute. He served in 
this capacity only one year when he accepted the position as specialist 
to the Texas Experiment Station in cotton-breeding investigation, 
and special agent for the United States department of agriculture. 
He held this position until 1908. He then accepted the position as 
expert in cotton marketing, United States department of agriculture, 



440 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

which position he now holds. He is author of many scientific bulletins 
on agricultural subjects. His latest publication is a report on cotton 
breeding-. He was married to Miss Kate Minor Watson in 1892. 



William Burdelle Bentley, son of William H. and Elizabeth 
(Cummings) Bentley, was born at Maple Valley, New York, August 
8, 1866. He was prepared for college at Phillips Academy, Andover, 
Massachusetts, 1882-85, and, entering- Harvard College the latter year, 
was graduated in 1889 with the degree of B. A., and with the highest 
honors in chemistry. A year later he received the degree of A. M., 
and that of Ph. D. in 1898. Upon graduation in 1889 he was appointed 
assistant in chemistry in Harvard College, remaining until 1891, when 
he accepted the position of adjunct professor of chemistr}- and physics 
in the University of Arkansas. In 1894 he became associate professor, 
resigning six years later to accept the chair of chemistry in Ohio 
University, which latter position he continues to hold. During the 
summer of 1890 he was assistant chemist in the United States Torpedo 
Station at Newport, Rhode Island. He was secretary and treasurer 
of the Fayetteville Telephone Company from 1895-1899. In politics 
he is independent, and he is a member of the Unitarian Church. He 
is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of 
Science ; member of the Society of Chemical Industry and of the 
American Chemical Society, and honorary fellow of the Society of 
Biological Chemistry (England). Ele is also an Athens Commandery 
Knights Templar. He was married at Cambridge, Massachusetts, 
December 15, 1891, to Susan Prescott, and has two sons: William 
Prescott, born in 1894; and Harold Jackson, born in 1897. 



Hugo Bezdek, son of James and Frances (Hanner) Bezdek, was 
born in Prague, Austria, in 1883. He entered the University of Chi- 
cago in 1902, from which he was graduated in 1905. He then became 
physical director in the University of Oregon for the scholastic year 
of 1906-07. In 1907 he returned to the University of Chicago and 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



441 



took graduate work and 
also assisted A. A. Stagg 
in the department of 
athletics. He remained 
there one year. He was 
made director of ath- 
letics in the University 
of Arkansas in 1908. He 
is a member of the So- 
ciety of Directors of 
Physical Education in 
Colleges, marshal at the 
University of Chicago, 
Senior Honor Society, 
and the Phi Kappa 
Sigma fraternity. He 
was married to Miss 
Victoria A. Johnson in 
1906. One son has been 
born to them. 




Hugo Bezdek. 



Benjamin J. Borden, son of Dr. Levi and Charlotte (Beck) 
Borden, was born in Dublin County, North Carolina, October 23, 
1812. He graduated at the University of North Carolina and studied 
law at Georgetown, D. C, where he also graduated. In 1840 he moved 
to Arkansas, where he practiced his profession until 1843. He then 
began his career as an editor and this continued until 1849. From 
that time to 1865 he was head of various institutions of learning in 
Arkansas, among them the college for young women at Tulip. He 
then taught at Washington, Arkansas, and later at Princeton. In 
1867 he moved to Kentucky and from that time until his death he 
taught as principal in the following schools : Stanford, Kentucky, 
1867-68; Somerset, 1868-70; Perryville, 1870-75, and in 1877-79 at 
La Grange, again at Somerset. 1880-87. He returned to Arkansas 



442 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



in 1875 and taught at Washington, 1875-76. During the year 1876-77 
he taught mental and moral philosophy in the University of Arkansas. 
He was married to Miss Sara Geiser October 29, 1844. Three sons 
and four daughters were born of this union. 



Wolf Detleff Carl Botefuhr was born in Holstein, Germany, in 
1833. He came to America at an early age. When very young 
he gave evidence of talent and originality and, having the advantages 

of a refined home, his predi- 
lections for music were 
encouraged, and his educa- 
tion was received from some 
of the best masters in 
Europe. He has held many 
important organ positions, 
among them being that of 
organist at the First Metho- 
dist Church in St. Louis, 
Missouri. He resigned his 
position as organist to accept 
the position as director of 
music in the University of 
Arkansas in 1872. He 
remained here until 188 1, 
when he resigned and moved 
to Fort Smith. As a theorist 
he occupied the foremost 
position in the Southwest 
and many of his pupils 
occupy the first rank in the 
musical profession. He trained and developed the famous violinist, 
William Worth Bailey. Professor Botefiihr was a very prolific and 
successful composer. His writings include many vocal and piano 
solos. Some of the best known are "A Nicene Creed," a number of 
Te Deums and several complete masses for the Episcopal service, 




Wolf Detleff Carl Botefuhr. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



443 



"Song- of the Bells," "Transient and Eternal Moonlight on the Poteau," 
"Broken Vow," and "Lillie Adair." 



Charles Hillman Brough, son of Charles Milton and Flora (Thomp- 
son) Brough, was born in Clinton, Mississippi, July 9, 1876. His father 
was a prominent mining man and banker of the west, formerly mayor 
of Ogden, Utah, and his mother was for many years principal of Central 
Female Institute, the oldest private female seminary in Mississippi. For 
six years Dr. Brough resided in Utah with his parents, but returned to 
his native State to enjoy, under 
the direction of his uncle and 
aunt, Dr. and Mrs. Hillman, 
the educational advantages 
offered by the two institutions 
of learning located in Clinton. 
Graduating from Mississippi 
College with the honors of his 
class in June, 1894, he sub- 
sequently pursued a three 
years' post-graduate course in 
economics, history and juris- 
prudence in the Johns Hop- 
kins University at Baltimore. 
While there he was awarded 
the fellowship in economics 
on his doctor's dissertation, 
"Irrig-ation in Utah," which 
received complimentary 
reviews from the leading 
French, German and American 
publications. In June, 1898, 
he received the doctor's degree from Johns Hopkins University. At the 
same time he received notice of his election to the chair of philosophy, 
history and economics in his alma mater, Mississippi College, succeeding 
in this work Dr. W. S. Webb, the former president of the college. 
In June, 1901, Dr. Brough resigned his position in Mississippi College 




Charles Hillman Brough. 



444 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

to study law in the University of Mississippi. Completing the two years' 
law course in one, he received the degree of Bachelor of Laws from this 
institution in June, 1902. Upon the completion of his law course at the 
University of Mississippi, he was offered the chair of economics in Hillman 
College, which had been established by his uncle at Clinton, Mississippi. 
He was identified with this institution for one year. In June, 1903, he 
accepted the chair of economics and sociology in the University of 
Arkansas. During his seven years' connection with the University he 
made several active summer campaigns in its interest and has built up 
one of its most flourishing departments. Dr. Brough is a writer and 
speaker as well as a teacher. He is the author of "Irrigation in Utah," 
submitted as his doctor's dissertation ; "The History of Taxation in Missis- 
sippi," "The History of Bankmg in Mississippi," "Historic Clinton," "The 
Clinton Riot," "The Industrial History of Arkansas," "Historic Battle- 
fields and Homes of Arkansas," and has a book on "The Political Problems 
of the Present" almost ready for the press. His lectures on "The Glory 
of the Old South and Greatness of the New," "America's Conquest of the 
World," "The Elements of Success in Life," "The Wit and Wisdom of 
Great Americans" and "God in History" have won him a place on the 
Southern platform. He is a member of the Arkansas Historical Associa- 
tion, the Mississippi Historical Society, the American Academy of Social 
and Political Science and the American Economic Association. On June 
17, 1908, Dr. Brough was married to Miss Anne Wade Roark, of 
Franklin, Kentucky. 

William M. Bruce was born in Boyle County, near Danville, Ken- 
tucky, on a farm which had been in the family since about 1800. 
When he was four years old his father died and four years later his 
mother moved to Missouri. When he was fourteen years old his 
mother moved to Sedalia, Missouri, where he attended the high school 
for several years. In 1890 he moved to Fayette, where he entered the 
preparatory department of Central College. In 1896 he graduated 
from Central College with the B. A. degree. Shortly after his gradu- 
ation he was elected to the chair of natural and physical sciences in 
Hendrix College at Conway, Arkansas. He remained at this place 
for four years, during which time he obtained the A. M. degree from 
Central College. The summers of 1898 and 1899 were spent in gradu- 
ate study at the University of Chicago, and in 1899 he was awarded a 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 445 

scholarship in chemistry. In 1900 he resigned his position at Hendrix 
College to accept a fellowship in chemistry at the University of 
Chicago. He held this fellowship three years. In 1902 he did some 
chemical work for the International Harvester Company, and also 
for the Kennicott Water Softener Company, of Chicago and London. 
In 1900 he was appointed chief chemist for the Kennicott Water Softener 
Company, which position he held until 1907. In 1908 he obtained patents. 
American and foreign, for water softening apparatus and was made 
chemical engineer for the Kennicott Water Softening Company. In 
August, 1908, he was made chemist at the Agricultural Experiment 
Station of the University of Arkansas. He is a member of the M. E. 
Church, South, and ot the Sigma Nu Fraternity. In 1898 he was married 
to Miss Ethel Howard, of Morrilton, Arkansas. Of this union one son, 
William, has been born. 



De Rosey C. Carbell was born in Arkansas, July 7, 1861. He 
entered the Military Academy at West Point July i, 1880. He was 
made second lieutenant of the eighth cavalry in June 1884. He continued 
in this position until 189 1, when he was made first lieutenant of the fifth 
cavalry. He was transferred to the eighth cavalry in 1899 and again 
transferred in 1902, this time to the first cavalry. He was made colonel 
of the second Arkansas infantry in May 1898. He was honorably mus- 
tered out of the volunteers in February, 1899. Lieutenant Carbell was 
detailed for service as commandant in the LTniversity of Arkansas, July 
29, 1887, and served until December, 1891. 



J. H. Carmichael was born at Cairo, Illinois. Feruary 2, 1868. From 
1884 to 1887 he attended the Fort Smith district high school at Boone- 
ville, Arkansas. After leaving here he attended the Paris academy at 
Paris, Arkansas, 1887-90. In 1890 he was appointed surveyor of Logan 
County, Arkansas, by Governor Eagle; the same year he was elected to the 
office and served one term. In February, 1893, he was licensed by the 
supreme court to practice law. He graduated from the law department 
of the University of Arkansas as the honor man in his class in June. 
1894. He was elected acting dean of the law department by the alumni 
in April, 1898, and was elected dean b}' the board of trustees in 1901. He 
has also served as special circuit and special supreme court judge. He 



446 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



formed a law partnership in 1906 with W. B. Brooks and R. C. Powers. 
He is a member of the alumni association of the law department of the 
University of Arkansas and was elected its first president in 1893. He 
was married to Miss Amelia Parker, January 10, 1893. Of this union 
four children have been born. 



Charles Geiger Carroll, son of Francis Barbour and Emma Virginia 
Carroll, was born at Ashland, Kentucky, October 15, 1875. The first 
nine years of his life were spent in West Virginia, seven of the 
succeeding years in Colorado, and the fourteen following in Texas 
and Maryland. Since the latter part of the year 1905 he has been 
resident in Arkansas at the university. His primary education was 

obtained at home under the 
tuition of his parents ; his 
secondary education was 
had in the Pueblo Collegiate 
Institute and Central High 
School of Pueblo, Colorado, 
and in the preparatory 
department of the University 
of Denver, Denver, Colorado. 
At the age of fifteen years 
he entered the fresh ma n 
class of the university of 
Denver, but his studies were 
broken off by a removal to 
Texas, where for one year he 
was instructor in languages 
and mathematics in a private 
secondary school at Henri- 
etta, Texas, and principal 
of one of the ward schools 
of Greenville, Texas. In the 
Charles Geiger Carroll. meantime he had been carry- 

ing on his studies privately, and in the fall of 1895 he entered 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 447 

Southwestern University, graduating- with the B. A. degree in 1896, 
and with the M. A. degree in 1897. 

During the years 1897 and 1898 lie was instructor in Latin, 
English, French, chemistry and physics in Southwestern University. 
Up to this time it had been his intention to devote himself to the 
study of languages, especially the Romance languages and Latin. 
His selection in 1898 as assistant professor of chemistry in South- 
western University changed the i>ent of his efiForts and from that 
time on his studies were, for the most part, scientific. 

He was successively assistant professor, associate professor, and 
from 1902 to 1905, professor of chemistry in Southwestern University. 
For two years (1901-1902 and 1903-1904) he did graduate work in the 
departments of chemistry and physics in Johns Hopkins University, 
and in 1904 received the Ph. D. degree from that institution. 

Since 1905 he has been professor of cliemistry in the University 
of Arkansas, and since ^'07 secretary of the faculty. He is a member 
of the American Chemical Society and of the Chemical Club of Johns 
Hopkins University. He has published the following scientific 
articles: "The Freezing-point Lowering of Aqueous Hydrogen 
Peroxide Salt Solutions," American Chemical Journal, 1902 ; "The 
Conductivity of Solutions of Salts in Water, Methyl and Ethyl 
Alcohols and Binary Mixtures ;" "The Connection between Conductiv- 
ity and Viscosity," Dissertation, 1904, reprinted in the American 
Chemical Journal, 1905 ; "Ionic Hydration and Ionic Velocity," Ameri- 
can Chemical Journal, 1907. William R. Jenkins and Company, of 
New York City, will shortly issue a work prepared by him in collabo- 
ration with Professor Antonio Marinoni, "French Lyric Poets of the 
Post-Romantic Period." He has ready for publication an article on 
electrical conductivity and periodic law, and in course of completion 
researches on acetylene compounds of copper (including the isolation 
of hydrogen copper acetylide), and a text-book on qualitative analysis 
treated from the standpoint of theoretical chemistry. In 1907 he, with 
W. H. Adams, was granted a patent for a solder for aluminum. 

Professor Carroll has always been interested in music and insti- 
tuted the Glee Club of the University of Arkansas, of which he has 
been musical director since its inception. 



448 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



In 1907 he was married to Miss Ruby Rotliwell of Denver, 
Colorado, daughter of Edwin James Rothwell, M. D., and Augusta 
More Rothwell, M. D. 



Joseph William Carr, Ph. D., was born in Hampstead, New 
Hampshire, January 15, 1870, son of Eben and Sarah (Bradshaw) 
Carr. His preparation for college was made at Phillips Exeter Acad- 
emy, Exeter, New Hampshire, where he spent four years. He stood 
high in his classes and was made president of the Golden Branch, 
a literary society, to which man}^ famous men have belonged. In 

1889 he entered Harvard Uni- 
versity and completed the 
four-year course in three 
years with success and 
honors, receiving his degree 
magna cinii Imide. The fourth 
year, 1893, he received the 
degree of Master of Arts. He 
and a few others were the 
means of getting Theta Delta 
Chi to reestablish at Harvard. 
After leaving Harvard h e 
taught for three years at the 
Morristown school, Morris- 
town, New Jersey. In 1897 
he left Morristown in order 
to go abroad to study. He 
spent two years in this way, 
obtaining the degree of Doc- 
tor of Philosophy at the Uni- 
versity of Leipzig in 1899. 
On returning to America he 
received an appointment to 
substitute for one year as instructor at Harvard Universit}^ and 
Radcliffe College. On leaving Harvard he filled another position to 
substitute for one year at the University of West Virginia. In 1901 




Joseph William Carr. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



449 



he received the position of associate professor of English and modern 
languages at the University of Arkansas. On the resignation of Dr. 
Reed the following year, he was made full professor. For the next 
four years he edited the university catalogue. In 1905 Dr. Carr 
accepted a position as head of the department of German at the 
University of Maine, and served there for nearly four years. 

Dr. Carr was a Mason, belonging to the body of Knights Templar ; 
a member of the Modern Language Association and vice-president 
of the American Dialect Society. He contributed largely to the 
latter society. He was a member of the Episcopal Church and was 
active in forming an Episcopal society for the students. He was 
married to Miss Florence Hollister, December 20, 1900. Of this union 
three sons and one daughter were born. In February, 1909, he was 
injured internally by a fall. He recovered sufficiently to meet his 
classes a few times, but fell dead in the universitv building ]\Iarch 
4th of that vear. 



Robert D. Carter was born 
in Massachusetts. August 10, 
1876. He entered the army 
of volunteers January 16. 
1899, in the eighth army corps 
of Major-Cieneral H. W. Law- 
ton. He entered the regular 
army in January. 1900, and 
was made second lieutenant 
of the 12th infantry. He 
served in this capacity until 
1901, at which time he was 
accepted first lieutenant of 
the sixteenth infantry. He was 
detailed professor of military 
science and tactics in the Uni- 
versity of Arkansas in Sep- 
tember, 1909. 




Robert 1). Carter. 



450 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 




Elias Chandler. 



Elias Chandler was born in McDonough County, Illinois, Decem- 
ber 2*^*, 1830; was educated in the common schools of the count^•, 
at Lincoln University. Lincoln Illinois, and at the United States 
Military Academy, West Point, N. Y., graduating from the last named 
institution on the nth day of June, 1880; twenty-fifth in a class of fifty- 
two. He was soon appointed a second lieutenant in the i6th U. S. infantry 

and served with that regiment 
in Kansas, Texas and LTtah, and 
on detached service, till April, 
1898. Until 1888 he served in 
Texas at various places, a part 
of the time as active Indian 
agent in charge of the Tonkawa 
and Lipan tribes. He spent two 
years (1892-94) on recruiting 
duty at Davids Island, New 
York Harbor, from which place 
he was ordered to report for 
duty as professor of military 
science and tactics at the 
Arkansas Industrial University. 
He took up this work February 
29, 1894, and remained on 
duty four years. 

On the outbreak of war with 
Spain, Lieutenant Chandler was 
detached from duty with his 
regiment and ordered to report 
for duty to the governor of 
Arkansas in connection with the organization of the volunteers from 
that State. He was appointed colonel of the first Arkansas volunteer 
infantry and assisted in the organization of the regiment in April and 
May, 1898. He accompanied the regiment in command to Chickamauga 
Park, Georgia, where he was assigned to the command of the first brigade, 
second division of the third corps. May 27, 1898. He remained in com- 
mand of that organization till October 9, 1898 (except for an interval of 
ten davs, during which General F. D. Grant was in command), when the 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



451 



regiment was directed to return to Little Rock to be mustered out. He 
then rejoined the ist U. S. Infantry, at Huntsville, Alabama, early in 
December, 1898, and commanded a battalion of the regiment in its 
journey to Cuba, arriving in Havana, Cuba, December 30, 1898, in time 
to witness the transfer of authority in the Islands from the Spaniards to 
the Americans on January i, 1899. After serving at various places in 
Cuba he returned to the United States and assumed command of com- 
pany and post of Fort Logan H. Roots, Arkansas. From 1901 to 1903 
he saw service in the Philippines. He returned to the United States 
in May, 1903, and served in various places until January, 1906, when he 
was again ordered to the Philippines. In the meantime he had been 
promoted major. He remained there until July 5, 1906, when he was 
placed on the retired list of the army, under date of June 30, 1906, at 
his own request, after having served for a period of thirty years. He 
returned to the United 
States via Manila, China, 
Japan, Korea, Siberia, 
Russia, Germany, Holland, 
England and France. He 
died at Chattanooga, Ten- 
nessee, 1909, and was buried 
at Fayetteville, Arkansas. 



George Albert Cole was 
born in Smith County, Vir- 
ginia, September 6, 1860. He 
remained on the farm until 
he was fifteen years old, 
attending the country school 
near his home. At the age 
of fifteen he went to the 
county seat of Smith County 
and attended the Marion 
High School, from which he 
was graduated in 1879. He 




George Albert Cole. 



452 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

received the medal offered by the trustees for proficiency in mathe- 
matics and science. After his gTaduation he taught school for five 
months, and then entered the junior class at Emory and Henry 
College. He graduated with the B. S. and B. A. degrees in 1882. 
After his graduation he acted as principal of Liberty Academy for 
three years. 

In 1886 he left Virginia and came to Phillips County, Arkansas. 
He taught school at Poplar Grove for three years, when he was 
elected principal of the Springdale school in March, 1889. He served 
in this capacity until 1892, at which time he was elected principal of 
the l^'ayetteville public schools. After serving as principal for 
four months he resigned to accept a position in the preparatory 
department of the Universit}'^ of Arkansas. Pie taught in this 
department for eleven years, acting as principal for one year. In 
1903 he was elected professor of agriculture, which position he 
resigned after five years. In 1909 he returned to the experiment 
station on solicitation of the director and took charge of the farmers' 
institute work in the State. In June, 1909, the board of trustees made 
a department of farmers' institute in the Agricultural College and 
elected him superintendent. In August, 1909, he was elected president 
of the Farmers' Union and the same year was elected president of 
the State Fair. 



Cuthbert Powell Conrad was born of a distinguished family at 
Winchester, Virginia, in 1849. Plis father, Robert Y. Conrad, was 
a man of state-wide reputation, both as a lawyer and statesman. 
Cuthbert Powell, the youngest child was hardly more than thirteen 
years old when the Civil War broke out. Though only a boy, he was 
the support of his mother and sisters during the four years of privation 
and of nursing in the hospital which was improvised by his mother 
for the wounded of both North and South. Schools could have but 
an irregular and precarious existence in a place that was the scene 
of almost a hundred engagements, as was the town of Winchester; 
hence Professor Conrad's education began late. But at the end of a 
course at the University of Virginia during which he had taught to 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



4o;{ 



obtain money, he received in 
1X74 fli]>lr)mas in Greek, 
Latin, nio<^lrni lanj^uaj^es, 
and moral philosophy. After 
his j^^radnation he was marie 
|>rnici|;al of ihc M nrt'recs- 
])()ri) hij4^h srhool. 1 \c had 
tan^ht here only a short 
time when he was called to 
the chair of natural science 
in VVesleyan l'"emale Col- 
lege. After teachinj:^ here 
two years he was i^iven a 
leave of absence to complete 
his university course, but the 
destruction of the proj^erty 
of VVesleyan (Jollej^e by fire 
left him free to prolonj;^ his 
work in the University of 
Virj^inia. In June, 1878, he 
receivefl the A. M. dej^ree 
from that institution. 

After his j^raduatirjn he was made adjunct professor of chemistry 
and natural science in the University of .Arkansas at a time when the 
institution needed strengthening in that department and a general 
toning up in the standards of scholarship, lie threw all his energies 
into the task of raising the standard of the university. 'J'he first year 
of his services to the university he aj^pealed to the newspapers, asking 
their cooperation in securing a collection of minerals. This collection 
was to be classified in mineralogical order and so arranged as to show 
the mineral characteristics (A each county. At first there were few 
responses to this appeal ; but by 1883 the interest of the people had 
been aroused and more than a hundred sj^ecimens had been sent in. In 
that year the work of the scientific department was divided and the 
chair of chemistry was given to Professor CV^nrad. lie now acquainted 
himself with the mineral wealth oi the State, and at the expositi'jn at 
Louisville in 1883. and again in that at Xew Orleans 1884-85, he 




Cuthbert I'ov.cU (,o;ira'l. 



454 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

superintended the Arkansas exhibit, which brought the State into 
prominence. He also took interest in the educational work of the 
State. He rendered a valuable service to the State Teachers' Associ- 
ation, of which he was chosen president in 1881. In the general 
shake up of 1885 he, like all the other members of the faculty except 
the president, lost his position in the University of Arkansas. He 
then engaged in business for a while, but later accepted a chair in the 
School of Mines of the University of Missouri, where he remained 
until his death in 1892. He was elected a regular member of the 
American Chemical Society in 1882 and became a correspondent of the 
"Engineering and Mining Journal." In 1885 he was married to Miss 
Sara E. Harris, with whom he had been associated as a teacher in the 
University of Arkansas. Three children were born to them, Elizabeth, 
Asfues and Cuthbert Powell. 



Edwin S. Curtis was born in New York. He enlisted as a private 
in company D, 48th infantry from New York, in 1861. He was dis- 
charged from the army September, 1863. He was appointed a cadet 
in the military academy from Virginia, September 16, 1863, and was 
appointed second lieutenant of the second artillery in June, 1867. He 
served in this capacity until 1873, when he was made first lieutenant. 
In 1872 he graduated from the artillery school and the same year 
was detailed professor of military science and tactics in the University 
of Arkansas, which position he held until 1875. He was made captain 
of the second artillery in August, 1896. He held this appointment 
until 1901 when he was made major of the artillery corps. He died 
November 4, 1901, at Brooklyn, New York. 



Hadgie Booker Davies (now Mrs. L. R. Ash) was born in Cotton 
Plant, Woodruff County, Arkansas, February 27, 1874, and removed 
with her parents to Fa3^etteville, Arkansas, in the fall of the same 
year. She was educated in the public schools of Fayetteville and in 
the University of Arkansas, from which she was graduated with the 
honors of her class in 1893. During her senior year in the university 
she was chosen adjunct professor of English and modern language to 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



455 



supply Miss Carnall's place during her illness, and after her death 
she was appointed by the board of trustees to supply her place until 
the arrival of her successor. After completing her course in the uni- 
versity she was elected to the chair of English and modern languages 
in Mary Baldwin Seminary, Staunton, Virginia. The position she 
held for four years, and resigned to accept a position in the University 
of Arkansas, that of associate professor of English and modern 
languages. This position she continued to hold for seven years, when 
she resigned to become Mrs. L. R. Ash, and removed to Kansas City, 
Missouri. 



George Wesley Droke, son of George and Diana Droke, was born 
in Morgan County, Indiana, September 26, 1854. His parents came 
to Bentonville, Benton 
County, Arkansas, in 1856, 
and a few months after their 
arrival purchased a farm 
three miles south of Benton- 
ville, upon which he grew to 
manhood. At that early 
date there were no public 
schools in that part of the 
State, and the private schools 
as a general rule were very 
inferior. About 1867 the 
first public school at the 
Droke schoolhouse was 
opened and here he attended 
his first school. In the sum- 
mer of 1871, at the age of 
sixteen, he made his last crop 
on the farm, and in the fall 
he taught school. The 
first of February, 1873, he 
entered the high school at ^^"""^^ Wesiey Droke. 

Bentonville, Arkansas, and continued there for five successive terms 




456 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

of five months each. The war had swept away all his father's prop- 
erty except 160 acres of poor land. In 1859 a protracted case of typhoid 
fever had left him broken in health and he felt that his son ought to 
remain at home and work on the farm, but young- Droke kept impor- 
tuning him for permission to go to school, and at length his father 
yielded, saying, "Well, sir, if nothing else will do, you may go to 
school, but I can not assist you financially." Both parts of this state- 
ment he faithfully kept. 

Nothing daunted, young Droke undertook the task of educating 
himself. One of his teachers, Mr. John T. McGill, now at Vanderbilt 
University, lent him text books and money and helped him in many 
other ways. From others he borrowed small sums of money, paying 
as high as fifteen per cent, interest per annum. In 1876 he was an 
assistant in the Bentonville public school. The first day of the next 
year he began a private school in Hindsville, Madison County, Arkan- 
sas. Not succeeding with this enterprise he matriculated in the 
University of Arkansas as a member of the junior class, the first 
Monday of September, 1877. The next year he taught as associate 
principal in the Shiloh Institute at Springdale. In January, 1879, he 
re-entered the University of Arkansas, from which he graduated June 
10, 1880, receiving the B. A. degree. Four years later (1884) he 
received the M. A. In October following his graduation he was 
elected an assistant in the preparatory department of the University 
of Arkansas. In July, 1885, the entire corps of teachers, except the 
president and music teacher, was dismissed, and he went to a warmer 
climate, teaching one year in Coronal Institute in San Marcos, Texas, 
as the head of the English department. The next year he was 
principal of the high school at Bentonville, Arkansas. 

In June, 1887, he was elected first assistant in the preparatory 
department of the University of Arkansas, and in December, 1891, was 
promoted to the college department as adjunct professor of mathe- 
matics, later as associate professor, and in June, 1897, as professor of 
mathematics, logic and astronomy, which position he now holds. He 
has attended lectures in the University of Michigan, the Johns Hop- 
kins University and the University of Chicago. He is a member of 
the Central Association of Science and Mathematics Teachers and of 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



457 



the American Mathematical Society. He is a member of the Methodist 
Church and a steward in the church at Fayetteville. On the 24th of 
Septeml:)er, 1879, he was married to Miss Cassandra Josephine Camp- 
bell. Of this union three children were born, George Prentice, Lelia 
Ruth, and Marvin Josephine. He was again married to Miss Malinda 
Inez James on the 18th day of August, 1887. Of this union three 
children were born, Albert Hill, Mary Inez and Louise Blanche. On 
the 15th of February, 1*^^04, they adopted into the family a seventh 
child, an orphan, four days old, and named him James Walling Droke. 



Boiling James Dunn was born in Logan County, Kentucky, June 
13, 1848, son of Gray B. and Lucy (Graham) Dunn, who came from 
Virginia in the early part of the nineteenth century. He received his 
early education in the schools of the county near his home, but in 
186b he went to V'olney 
Academy, afterwards called 
Browder Institute. After 
two years he went to Bethel 
College, of which the well- 
known Dr. Noah K. Davis 
was then president. He 
took his B. A. degree in 1871 
and his A. M. in 1874. He 
read law in the office of 
Judge M. B. Bowden, who 
afterwards became a member 
of the supreme court of Ken- 
tucky. During 1872-3 he was 
licensed to practice in the 
courts of his native state. 
But he decided to make 
teaching his profession and 
became principal of Allens- 
ville high school, Kentucky. 
He came to Arkadelphia, 
Arkansas, in 1877, and for BoiH„g j^^^es Uunn. 




458 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

three years had charge of Arkadelphia Baptist High School. He 
returned to Kentucky and taught a select school at Red Oak, near 
Russellville, having in the meantime lost both parents. He returned 
to the Arkadelphia Baptist High School for three years. In 1886 he 
became connected with Ouachita College and remained there as a 
teacher until the beginning of 1894, when he was elected principal of 
preparatory department of the University of Arkansas. He held this 
position for four years. In 1898 he was made associate professor of 
mathematics, which position he now holds. While in college he joined 
the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He was married in December, 1873, 
to Miss Carrie Barton. Of this union five sons and one daughter 
were born. 



Robert W. Dowdy was born in Mississippi, January 31, 1854. He 
became a cadet in the Military Academy July 1, 1875. In June, 1879, 
he was made second lieutenant of the 17th infantry, and in December, 
1885, he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. He was detailed 
for service in the University of Arkansas in 1891 and served as com- 
mandant in this institution until 1894. He was made captain of the 
twenty-second infantry in 1899, but in 1902 was transferred to the 
twenty-sixth infantry. He was retired with the rank of major in May, 
1903, under the disability act of 1901. 



H. B. Edmiston, B. A., University of Virginia, was made first 
assistant in the preparatory department in 1879. He held the position 
until the fall of 1880, when at the request of the faculty the executive 
committee appointed him professor of modern languages. He con- 
tinued to hold the position until 1885, when he was dropped along 
with the rest of the faculty of that year. 



Howard Edwards was born in Fauquier County, Virginia, in 1854. 
He received his early training in the public schools of his native state. 
He then entered Randolph-Macon College, Virginia, from which he 
was graduated in 1876 with the degree of Master of Arts. His career 
as a teacher began before his graduation, as he acted as assistant in 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



459 



Latin in the college from which he graduated. During the years 
1876-77 he taught in a private school in Virginia. The following 
year was spent in the University of Leipzig. On his return to America 
he was made associate principal of Bethel Military Academy of Fau- 
quier County, Virginia. After having filled this position for two years 
he went to the ]>ingham School at Asheville, North Carolina, where 
he taught for two years, 1880-82. In 1882 he became principal of 
the Bethel Academy, and in 1884 he took charge of an academy at 
Tuscumbia, Alabama. In 1885 he was elected to the chair oi ICnglish 
and modern languages in the University of Arkansas, which pc^sition 
he filled for five years. In 1890 he accepted the chair of English and 
modern languages in the Michigan Agricultural College. In 1891-2 
he spent six months at the Sorbonne in Paris. He resigned from the 
Michigan Agricultural College to accept the presidency of the Rhode 
Island State College, which position he now holds. In 1891 he 
received the LL.D. from the 
University of Arkansas. He 
is the author of many pub- 
lished addresses. 



Isaac Fisher, principal rjf 
the Branch Normal College 
at Pine Bluff, is a graduate of 
Booker T. Washingto n's 
famous Tuskegee Institute in 
Alabama. Of him Dr. Wash- 
ington has said several times 
in public, "The only thing I 
ever had against Isaac Fisher 
was that even when he was a 
student at Tuskegee, he could 
always beat me making a 
speech." Professor Fisher 
was elected to his present 
position in June, ig02. 

Before coming to Arkan- 
sas, he had been an instructor 




Isaac Fisher. 



460 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

in the Schofield School of Aiken, South Carolina ; negro farmers' con- 
ference organizer for the same school ; northern financial agent for the 
Tuskegee Institute, being the direct personal representative of Booker 
Washington in New England ; negro farmers' conference organizer for 
the same school, and principal of Swayne public school in Mont- 
gomery, Alabama. 

Although Professor Fisher holds no academic degrees, he has, 
within the past year attracted national attention by reason of his 
remarkable success in winning money prizes in essay competitions on 
subjects of interest to the whole country. These contests were open 
to writers everywhere. The essays which he has written and which 
have given him rank as a writer on economic questions are as follows : 

1908 — "The Relation Between Manual Training in the Public 
Schools and Industrial Education and Efficiency," Craftsman Contest, 
New York. Third prize. 

1909 — "A Plan to Give the South a System of Highways Suitable 
to Its Needs," Manufacturers' Record Contest, Baltimore. Second 
prize. 

"German and American Methods of Regulating Trusts," Hart, 
Schafifner & Marx Economic Contest, Chicago. Second prize. 

1910 — ^"Computing Scales and the Housewife," Computing Scales 
Contest, Dayton, Ohio. First prize. 

In addition to these. Professor Fisher is preparing "The Industrial 
Aptitude and Efficiency of the Leading Nationalities of the World," 
an exhaustive inquiry into the occupations of the world's industrial 
population. 

In 1910 the Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes at 
Normal, Alabama, conferred the honorary degree of Master of Arts 
upon Professor Fisher for his success as an essayist and educator. 
This negro teacher is a member of the American Academy of Political 
and Social Science, and he bears the unique distinction of being the 
only negTo who investigates and writes treatises on subjects of 
national concern, not specially related to the "Negro Question." 

In all of his efforts in Arkansas Professor Fisher has had the 
most cordial and helpful encouragement from the best white citizens 
of the State. To quote his own words : "My relations with the white 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



461 



people of Arkansas have been more beautiful than I ever dreamed 
they could possibly become between me and any white person. Ikit 
I know it has been because I have shown that I do not hate the 
white people, and they have, in their turn, dealt with me with friend- 
liness not less than my own." 



Edmund L. Fletcher was born in New York, June 1, 1851. He 
entered the Military Academy in July, 1868, but was dropped from the 
roll in November, 1869. He entered the infantry in company E as a 
private in 1872, but was discharged from the service in 1873. He was 
made second lieutenant in the infantry and was accepted as first 
lieutenant in June, 1879. He was detailed for service as commandant 
in the University of Arkansas in 1887, which position he held one 
year. He retired from active service with the rank of captain in July, 
1895, under the disability act of 1890. 



John Clinton Futrall, the 

son of Thomas A. and Emma 
(Headen) Futrall, was born 
near Jackson, Tenn., on March 
9, 1873. ^"^t the age of eleven 
years he removed with his 
parents to Marianna, Arkan- 
sas, was prepared for college 
in the public schools of that 
place and entered the Univer-. 
sity of Arkansas in 1888, 
where he remained as a 
student until 1890. In Sep- 
tember, 1890, he entered the 
University of Virginia, and 
was a student there four years, 
receiving- the degrees of Bach- 
elor and Master of Arts. On 
January 8. 1894, he was 
elected professor of Latin in 




John Clinton Futrall. 



462 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



the University of Arkansas. At the end of the college year the depart- " 
ments of Greek and Latin were combined, and Professor Futrall was 
made head of the department, which position he has since held. In 1899- 
1900 he studied at the Universities of Bonn and Halle, and traveled in 
Greece and Italy. 

In 1898 he was married to Miss Annie Gaines Duke. Three chil- 
dren were born of this union, two of whom are now living. 



William Nathan Gladson was born at Corning, Iowa, February 22, 
1866, son of J. M. and Almira (Newcomb) Gladson. He received his 
primary education in the country district school and the high school 
of Corning. He then entered the Iowa State College of Agriculture 
and Mechanic Arts at Ames, from which he received the degree of B. 
M. E. in 1888. From 1888 to 1891 he was in the employ of the Thom- 
son-Houston Electric Com- 
pany as an expert electrician. 
During the year of 1892 he 
was in the employ of the 
Westinghouse Electric and 
Manufacturing Company on 
the World's Fair grounds at 
Chicago as designing engi- 
neer and draughtsman. The 
scholastic year of 1893 he 
spent at the Ohio State Uni- 
versity as assistant professor 
of electrical engineering. In 
February, 1894, he came to 
the University of Arkansas 
as adjunct professor in 
charge of the department. In 
1897 he was made professor 
of electrical engineering, 
which position he now holds. 
During his service with the 
William Nathan Gladson. University of Arkausas, he 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 463 

spent one summer vacation in the University of Chicago in special 
research work ; one summer with the Allis-Chalmers Electric Com- 
pany as superintendent of construction of a larye railway plant. In 
1896 he did some original research work on the X-ray and secured and 
operated the first X-ray machine in the State of Arkansas. He also 
did original research work on the wireless telegraph and operated the 
first wireless telegraph instrument in the State. In 1897 he wrote a 
thesis on the X-ray from notes and research work of the year before 
and was granted the degree of Ph. D. by the McCleanorsville College 
of McCleanorsville, Tennessee. He is at present in charge of the water 
power investigation of the State, jointly for the State and United 
States. He is a charter member of the American Electro-Chemical 
Society, a member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers 
and of the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education, also 
a member of the X'ational Geographic Society. He was married to 
Miss Elizabeth \\'ade in 1891. Two daughters were born to them. 



James Beale Gordon. The failure of the legislature in 1877 to 
appropriate adequately for the university forced the board in June 
to cut down expenses. For that reason Professor Demmlar was not 
retained, an adjunct professorship of civil engineering and mathe- 
matics was created and Professor Gordon, C. E. and B. Sc, a young 
graduate of the University of \'irginia, was appointed by the executive 
committee to fill it. He held the position until June, 1880, when he 
was made professor of applied mathematics and civil engineering. He 
died of typhoid fever at Fayetteville, September 11, 1880. He was 
a young man of promise. He was popular with both teachers and 
students. The faculty in commenting upon his death, said that the 
university had lost ''one of the brightest ornaments that has ever 
adorned its rostra, and one who was respected and honored and loved 
by all who knew him as a brilliant scholar, a gifted teacher, a gentle- 
man whose many excellent qualities of heart and head endeared him 
to all." His body was taken back to \'irginia. 



464 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Mary Gorton, daughter of Truman B. and Elizabeth (Searle) 
Gorton, was born at Rock Island, Illinois, September 27, 1844. After 
graduating- from the Rock Island high school in 1863, she entered 
the state normal school at Normal, near Bloomington, and attended 
there four years, graduating with highest honors and being chosen 
valedictorian of her class. Meantime she had taught one year as 

assistant principal at Rock 
Island. Immediately after 
graduation she accepted a 
position in the Cook County 
normal and taught there four 
years. Receiving an offer of 
a full professorship in the 
University of Arkansas at a 
larger salary, she accepted 
and was present at the open- 
ing of the first session in 
January, 1872. She remained 
with the university until 
1877. Her official designa- 
tion was "preceptress in nor- 
mal department." The last 
3^ear of her stay, when Pro- 
fessor Gates was president, 
she was made principal. Her 
thorough training and long 
experience in that kind of 

Mary Gorton. ^^^.y. ^^^^^g j-^gj. eminently 

qualified for the task assigned her at the university. Her professional 
ability and womanly qualities won the respect and admiration of both 
faculty and students. When she announced her intention of leaving, 
the board accepted her resignation with regret and in a series of 
resolutions declared that she, "By her happy tact in subduing and 
controlling the wayward and the idle, impressing upon them her own 
high type of thought and mode of reasoning, and by her unvarying 
devotion to the interests of the University, has made us to feel her 
loss to be almost irreparable." A part of the time while at the univer- 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 465 

sity she served as secretary of the faculty. She took an active interest 
in student life and was lari^cly instrumental in founding- the first 
literary society. 

At the time of her death the faculty, with most of whom she had 
been associated, resolved that "Ilundreds of the youth of this and 
other states recognize in her the chief architect of whatever character 
they possess." Mr. Wentworth, sometime president of the Cook 
County Normal, is said to have declared that she was the best educated 
woman in Cook County. Certainly she was a highly cultured woman, 
possessing a keen appreciation of the best in literature, music, and art. 
When she left Arkansas she went to St. Louis with the intention of 
practicing law, which she had been reading privately, in cooperation 
with an attorney to whom she had been engaged some time. Mean- 
time she accepted a position in the public schools of St. Louis and is 
said to have won high praise from their superintendent, Dr. Wm. T. 
Harris. In the fall of 1878 she took her examination and was admitted 
to the bar, her examiner, a leading judge, declaring that never before, 
in all his experience, had he passed a candidate of such high attain- 
ments. But overwork — teaching during the regular hours of school, 
coaching special students, and helloing her betrothed at night — was 
undermining her health. She was to have been married the following 
Christmas, but died November 15, 1878. 



Oliver Crosby Gray, son of Dr. Peter and Rachel (Kennedy) Ciray, 
was born at Jefferson, Maine, December 30, 1832. He attended Colby 
College at Waterville, Maine, and was graduated from that institution 
in 1855. He was a classmate of the late Nelson Dingley, who rose to 
the leadership of the Republican majorit\^ in the house of representa- 
tives. After leaving Colby College, Colonel (iray attended Dart- 
mouth College for a short time. He then went west and located at 
Minneapolis, w^here in 1856-57 he was su])erintendent of the public 
scho<jls. In 1858 he moved to Arkansas and in that year and the 
year following was principal of Monticelhj academy. In 1860-61 
he was principal of Princeton academy, which was at that time 
one of the leading institutions of the State. At the beginning 
of the Civil W'ar he enlisted as a j)rivate in the third Arkansas cavalry 



466 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



and served under Colonel Solon Bourland and later under Colonel 

Hobson. He afterwards rose 
lo the captaincy of troop A 
in the same regiment. 

After the war Colonel 
( ira}' returned to Arkansas 
and resumed teaching. In 
1866-67 he was principal of 
Princeton female academy. 
Me then accepted the posi- 
tion as professor of mathe- 
matics in St. John's College 
at Little Rock. He was 
later elected president of the 
same institution and served 
in that capacity until 1875, 
when he went to the Univer- 
sity of Arkansas, and served 
as professor of mathematics 
from 1875 to 1886. In 1887- 
88 he was principal of the 
public schools in Fayette- 
ville, Arkansas. He then re- 
turned to the chair of mathe- 
matics in the university, which position he held until 1895, 
when he was elected principal of the school for the blind at Little 
Rock. From 1899 to 1901 he was principal of the Speers-Langford 
Institute at Searcy. In 1901 he was reelected superintendent of the 
blind school, which position he held until his death. Colonel Gray 
was a member of Magnolia Lodge, A. F. and A. M. ; Union Chapter, 
Royal Arch Masons ; Hugh de Payens Commandery, Knights Templar, 
and was one of the oldest members of the Scottish Rite bodies of the 
Valley of Little Rock. He was a life-long member of the Presbyterian 
Church. Colonel Gray was twice married. His first wife was Miss 
Virginia L. Davis whom he married May 27, 1857. He was married 
the second time to Mrs. Mary M. Beattie whom he married June 17, 
1889. By his first marriage Colonel Gray had two children both of 
whom survive him. 




Oliver Crosby Gray. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



467 



Gustavus Garland Greever 

was born in Lead Hill. Boone 
County, Arkansas, April 4, 
1883, son of William A. and 
Lydia C. (Redns) Greever. 
His parents moved, in the 
summer of 1895, to Carthage, 
Missouri. He then entered 
the high school of that city, 
from which he was graduated 
in 1899. In the fall of 1900 
he entered Central College, 
Fayette. M i s s o u r i, from 
which he received the B. A. 
degree in 1904. In the fall 
of the same year he became 
a fellow in English in 
Trinity College, D u r h a m. 
North Carolina, and from this 
institution he received the 

degree of M. A. in 1905. Since Gustavus Garland Cireever. 

then he has taken special courses in English there. For three 
years — from the fall of 1905 to the spring of 1908 — he was head 
of the department of English in the city high school of Durham, 
North Carolina. In the fall of 1908 he became associate pro- 
fessor of English in the University of Arkansas, which position 
he now holds. Fie has recently edited Foe's "Raven," Long- 
fellow's "Courtship of Miles Standish," and Whittier's "Snow 
Bound." He is a reviewer for "The Dial," and will shortly pub- 
lish an article on Southern Leadership Since the Civil War in 
"The North American Review." He was married to Miss May St. 
Clair Stocking- in the summer of 1908. 




468 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Sara Eugenia Harris was born in Missouri, but was educated in 
Fayetteville, Arkansas, receiving the degree of B. A. in 1876, at the 
age of nineteen. In addition to the work required for the degree she 
had taken all the advanced courses at that time offered in the univer- 
sity. The following year she was invited by the board of trustees 
and the faculty of the university to take a place as adjunct professor in 
English and history. When Professor James Mitchell, the head of 
the department, resigned to assume the editorship of the "Little Rock 
Gazette," his duties fell upon Miss Harris. In 1883 the degree of A. 
M. was conferred upon her. She was given the rank of professor and 
held the chair until 1885. In July of that year she was married to 
Professor C. P. Conrad. Since his death she has devoted herself to the 
education of her three children, incidentally continuing her own studies 
at the foremost universities in America and in Germany, and for two 

years at the University of 
Geneva, Switzerland. 




Francis LeRoy Harvey. 



Francis Le Roy Harvey, 

second son of Daniel and 
Amanda Harvey, was born 
near Ithaca, New York, 
April 22, 1850. He received 
his early education in the 
schools of Ithaca. When he 
was about fifteen years old 
his parents moved to Iowa 
and located at what is now 
Humboldt. He entered the 
Iowa Agricultural College 
at Ames in 1868, entirely 
paying his own way by 
teaching and whatever he 
found to do. Between 1867 
and 1874 he had taught four- 
teen terms in the schools of 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 469 

the State. Fie graduated from the agricutural college in 1872 with the 
degree of B. S. and fourteen years later received the M. S. degree. 
During his college course he was student assistant in chemistry and 
took many special honors in natural science. In 1873 he became 
principal of a graded school in Iowa; and the year following was made 
professor of natural science in Humboldt College. He continued in 
this capacity until 1875 when he was elected to the chair of theoretical 
and applied chemistry and natural history in the University of 
Arkansas. In 1881 the chair was divided and he was given that of 
biology and geology, which position he held until 1885. 

During his stay in Arkansas he found many plants and fossils new 
to science and published, among other things, "Forest Trees of 
Arkansas," which is still used as a book of information on Arkansas 
forestry. He worked with tireless energy for the interests of the 
institution, collecting the flora and minerals of the State. In addition 
to his work in building up his department he made special studies in 
insect depredations, plant diseases, forestry problems, botanical sub- 
jects and the more practical branches of agriculture and horticulture. 
While in Fayetteville he collected and distributed at his own expense 
one hundred thousand native plants to the schools and colleges of the 
State. Two of the plants were given his name by Dr. Asa Gray. In 
1886 he assumed charge of the natural history establishment of Dr. 
A. E. Foote in Philadelphia, but after a year's service here he accepted 
the call to the chair of natural history in the University of Maine. 
He was largely instrumental in securing the erection of Coburn Hall, 
which was completed two years later. In 1888 he was made botanist 
and entomologist of the experiment station. This added greatly to his 
routine duties and gave less time for original investigation, of which 
he was very fond. In 1890 he received the Ph. D. from the University 
of Arkansas. 

Professor Harvey was a corresponding member of the Academy of 
Natural Science of Philadelphia, an honorary member of the American 
Association of Forestry, a member of Torrey Botanical Club of New 
York, of the Washington Entomological Society, the Portland Natural 
History Society and an active member of the American. Association 
of Economics, Botanists and Entomologists. He discovered about 
fifty forms new to science, has described a number of new insects 



470 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



and alg?e, and half a dozen plant forms have been named for him by 
Lesquerenx, Peck, Bortte and Gray. He wrote many scientific articles 
for journals and periodicals in Arkansas. From 1886 to the time of 
his death in 1900 he published nearly seventy articles pertaining- to the 
natural history of Maine. He w^as of a religious turn of mind and a 
life-long Christian. He was married to Miss Addie Lillian Bortte of 
Independence, Iowa, June 27, 1878. Six children, five of whom survive, 
were born of this union : Le Roy Harris, Bortte Trott, Henry 
Stuart, William Loke, Florence Evelyn and Ruth Josephine. Pro- 
fessor Harvey died suddenly at Orono, Maine, March 6, 1900. 



Joseph Lee Hewitt, son of Joseph N. and Mary (Davis) Hewitt, 
was born at Denver, Indiana, May 7, 1881. His parents moved to 
Missouri in 1885. He received his early education in the common 

schools of Missouri. He 
then entered the manual 
training high school of Kan- 
sas Cit}^, from which he was 
graduated. He then entered 
Kansas Universit}^ school of 
engineering-, where he spent 
one 3^ear. For two years he 
was emplo3^ed as chemist by 
the Smelting and Refining 
Company of Argentine, Kan- 
sas. He then entered the 
University of Missouri, from 
which he was graduated 
with the B. S. degree in 1903. 
Since that time he has been 
continuously in the service 
of Arkansas agricultural 
education. He was first em- 
ployed as assistant in horti- 
culture, then as adjunct pro- 
joseph Lee Hewitt. fcssor of horticulture. Later 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



471 



he accepted the position as plant pathologist, and in 1909 was made 
professor of plant pathology. 



Jobelle Holcombe was born at Springdale, Arkansas, in 1877. 
She received her ])rimary and secondary education in the Springdale 
and Fayetteville ])nblic schools. She entered the i)reparatory depart- 
ment of the University of Arkansas in 1892 and six years later 
received the B. A. degree. 
After her graduation she 
was a teacher in ^^^illie 1 lal- 
sell College at Vinita, Okla- 
homa, for one year. She then 
r e tu r n e d to Fayetteville. 
Arkansas, where she was 
employed as a teacher in 
the public schools from 
1899-1901. For the next two 
years she taught in the pre- 
paratory department of the 
University of Arkansas. 

In 1903 she became a 
student at Chautauqua, New 
York. From 1903 to 1905 
she taught English and 
modern languages in the 
Arkansas Cumberland Col- 
lege at Clarksville. She was 
a graduate student in Cor- 
nell University, 1905-06, 
from which institution she received the M. A. degree in 1906. During 
the year 1906-07 she was instructor in English in the preparatory 
department in the University of Arkansas. In 1907 she was made 
dean of women and instructor of English in the college department 
of the university, which position she now holds. 




Jobelle Holcombe. 



472 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



She Avas one of the charter members of the Chi Omega sorority 
and did much toward making it a national sorority. She is a member 
of the south central territorial committee of the Young Women's 
Christian Association. 



I 



Victor Albert Hooper was born at Tyrone, Ontario, Canada, 
November 20, 1881. His parents are of Canadian descent. He received I 
his early education in the public schools of his native district after ^ 
which he entered upon a high school course. After having attended 
the high school for two years he entered the Ontario Agricultural 
College at Guelph, Canada. He remained here for two years, 
1900-02. After leaving college he was instructor in dairy husbandry, 
and in charge of experimental butter-making in the Ontario Agri- 
cultural College, 1902-03. He was employed by the City Dairy 

Company in Toronto, Canada, 
during the year 1903-04. He 
was elected professor of dairy 
husbandry in the University 
of Arkansas in 1904, which 
position he now holds. He is 
unmarried. 




Victor Albert Hooper. 



Charles Edwin Houghton 

was born in Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, on March 14, 
1859. Plis high school educa- 
tion was received in Ann 
Arbor High School, from 
which he was graduated in 
1880. Between 1880 and 1890 
he was engaged in railway 
construction and location, city 
surveying and irrigation work. 
Hei entered the University of 
Michigan in 1890, but later 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



473 



l)ecame a student in Leland 
Stanford University, from 
which he was graduated in 
1893. He then entered Cor- 
nell University, from which 
he received the M. M. E. 
in 1894. From 18 9 4 to 
1898 he was instructor in 
mechanical engineering in 
Cornell University. In 1898 
he was made professor of 
mechanical engineering in 
the University of Arkansas. 
He served in this capacity 
until 1902 when he accepted 
the position as associate 
professor of mechanical en- 
gineering in New York Uni- 
versity, which position he 
now holds. He is a member 
of the American Society of 
Mechanical Engineers, the 
Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education and the Sigma 
Phi. fraternity. He is the author of a text-book on the mechanics of 
materials. 

He was married to Miss Anna E. Bascher of Stockton, California, 
in 1895. Two children were born of this union, Edwin Jr. and Evelyn. 




Charles Edwin Houghton. 



Julius Franklin Howell, son of Edward and Sarah (Barnes) Howell, 
was born on a farm in Nansemond County, Virginia, January 17, 
1846. He received his early education in private schools. He then 
attended Reynoldson Collegiate Institute, North Carolina, from 1855 
to 1861. In August, 1862, he joined the Confederate army, and became 
a member of the 24th Virginia cavalry. He served continuously in the 
army until April 6, 1865, when he was captured at the battle of Sailor's 
Creek, Virginia, and kept for two months in the military prison at 



474 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Point Lookout, ^NrarA'land. 




\fter studying- another }'ear at the above- 
named institution, he taught 
in Xorth CaroHna from 1867 
to 1873. He then removed 
to Arkansas and taught in 
private and pubHc schools 
until 1885. From 1885 to 
18^'l he taught in the normal 
department and also in the 
preparatory^ department of 
the Uni^'ersity of .Arkansas. 
The latter year he became 
professor of history and 
pedagogy and served in this 
capacity until 1898. He was 
married September 17. 1870, 
to Miss Ida Celsus Hinton. 
Nine children were born to 
them. 



William Smythe Johnson 

Julius Franklin Howell. ^y^s bom OH a farm ucar 

Arkadelphia, Clark County, Arkansas, October 8, 1869. When he was 
a year old the family moved to the southern part of Pike County, 
where he remained until he went away to school. 

His father, a native of Jackson, Tennessee, saw four }ears of 
service in the Southern cause. He was educated in the common public 
and private schools of Pike County until he was sent to Howard's 
Academy to prepare for college. He left there and taught a school 
at the age of fifteen in the northern part of Pike County. He then 
took charge of his father's store, but later gave it up and weighed 
cotton in his father's gin. During- the following fall and winter he 
taught a term of school at ^^'allaceburg^ Arkansas, at the close of 
which he entered Ouachita College. By teaching- every summer, he 
remained there until he received the B. A. degree in 1890. After his 
graduation he was principal of the public schools at Emmet and 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



475 



1 A'wisN ilk', Arkansas. I Ic 
lluMi st'r\c(l as inslnu-loi' in 
niatluMnalics in ( )ii a r Ii i t a 
College liir (inc \ car. In 
lS<)o he look charge of the 
newly cslahlisluMl r>ai)tist 
C'olleinc at iMonnlain 1 Ionic, 
A r k a n s a s, wlicrc ho re- 
mained three years. This 
year Ouachita Collci^^e con- 
ferred on him the honorary 
M. A. de.nrce. 

lie entered ^'ale I'nixer- 
sity in the fall of IX'X., and, 
with the exception of one 
semester si)ent at the Uni- 
versity of Leii)/.ij4, ( iermany, 
remained there thix'c years, 
receixinL; the I'h. 1). demreo 
in 1(SW<). In rcixirtiuL; this 
matter at the time the 
"Arkansas (ia/elte" staled Wiiii.-.,,, Smviiu' Joi,,, ,„, 

that he was the lirst nati\e of the Stale to rec-ei\e this (k\L;ree. He 
was made instructor in ])s\cholo!;\' at N'alc the followint; year. In 
the summer of I'XK) \\v had chari^c of the deparlmenl of ])hilosophy 
at the L'nixersit \' of Cincinnati, and in the fall went to the i\<»rmal 
College of Louisiana as head of tlu- training department, where he 
remained for two \ears. I'dr the uast seven years he has had charj^c 
of the department of ])hilosophy and pedai^o.^y at the University of 
y\rkansas. 

lie was instrumental in cstahlishinjn- the y\rkansas 'lynchers' Kead- 
inj^- Circle in 1*X)5, a de])artment of the State Teachers' Association, 
which now has over two thousand mend)ers who do regular and 
systematic work along- ])rofessional and cultural lines. Jle has served 
as ])resident of the circle ever since its ori^anization. Soon after 
comint;- to the university he got the consent of the ])resident to estab- 
lish a imiversity em])loyment bureau, which he manai^es for the benefit 
of students. 




476 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

His thesis for the Ph. D. was pubhshed by Yale University under the 
title "Practice and Habit." He is a Democrat and a Baptist. April 26, 
1903, he married Miss lima Leche of Donaldsonville, La. They have 
one daughter. 



Junius Jordan was born in Barbour County, Alabama. After finish- 
ing the public schools of his native town he entered the Southern 
University in Alabama, from which he was graduated with the M. A. 
degree in 1867. After his graduation he taught Latin and Greek in the 
Columbus, Mississippi, male college 1870-75. He came to Arkadelphia, 
Arkansas, in 1876, as principal of the male high school, which position 
he held for one year. He then went to Pine Bluff and opened a private 
school where he taught for ten years. In 1894 he was elected state 
superintendent of public schools and served in this capacity until 1898, 
when he accepted the chair of philosophy and pedagogy in the Univer- 
sity of Arkansas. He held this position for three years, when he was 
elected as superintendent of the city schools at Pine Bluff. In 1900 he 
was elected president of the Southern Educational Association at 
Memphis, Tennessee. As normal instructor he has delivered courses 
of lectures at the University of Mississippi and at Millsaps College at 
Jackson, Mississippi ; and also at the normals held in Chattanooga, 
Collierville and Memphis, Tennessee. He has also filled lecture 
engagements during the past ten years in Arkansas, Texas and 
Louisiana. He has w^on distinction as a lecturer in various states of 
the South and he still is engaged in platform work when not occupied 
with school duties. 

In 1886 the Central University of Kentucky conferred on him the 
M. A., honoris causa, and in 1898 he received the LL. D. from the 
University of Arkansas. 

Charles Volney Kerr, son of George W. and Nancy (Collins) Kerr, 
was born near Troy, Miami County, Ohio, March 27, 1861. The family 
moved to Illinois in 1863. His early education was secured in the old- 
fashioned country district school. In early manhood he went to Pittsburg 
to enter the Western University of Pennsylvania where he graduated with 
honors in 1884 (Ph. B.). Fourteen years later, in recognition of special 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



477 



work in engineering mechanics, 
he was honored with the degree 
of Ph. D. In 1885 he entered 
the sophomore class of Stevens 
Institute at Hoboken, N. J. 
During his senior year he 
helped to organize and was the 
first president of the Stevens 
Engineering Society which still 
schoolmates and an assistant in 
exists. He was also a tutor for 
the chemical laboratory. With 
a classmate, now assistant to 
the president of the Carnegie 
Steel Company, he made a 
graduation thesis test on the 
engines of a tow boat which 
drove a large fleet of coal 
barges from Pittsburg down to 
the mouth of the Red River in 
Louisiana. The winter of 
1888-89 was spent in teaching 
mathematics and science in Pratt Institute, Brooklyn. In the spring of 
1889 the position of assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the 
Western University was secured. In January, 1890, the work of laying 
out the course in mechanical engineering for the university and of 
equipping the shops was begun. In 1891 he accepted the position as head 
of the engineering department in the University of Arkansas, which 
position he held until 1896. During these five years the work in civil and 
mechanical engineering was continued and in some respects made still 
more efficient. The course in electrical engineering was established. In 
1896 he accepted the position as head of the mechanical engineering depart- 
ment in the Armour Institute at Chicago. While there he acted as a 
consulting engineer in the establishment of a compressed air pumping 
plant for the village of Riverside near Chicago and in a long series of 
tests of roller bearings in comparison with sliding bearings. 




Charles X'olney Kerr. 



478 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



In 1902 the chance came to enlarge the experience in practical engineer- 
ing and he resigned to become one of the engineers for Westinghouse, 
Church, Kerr & Company of New York City. Leaving that interesting 
and helpful work in power plant engineering with the good wishes of his 
associates, Professor Kerr organized the Kerr Turbine Company in 1904. 
In five years they had manufactured and sold 250 turbines in various 
parts of the United States and several foreign countries. 

Professor Kerr is a member of the American Society of Mechanical 
Engineers, the Western Society of Engineers, Society for the Promotion 
of Engineering Education, and in local matters, of the board of education. 
He was also a member at one time of the Arkansas State Teachers' 
Association and of the National Educational Association. 

He has contributed articles to engineering journals and to society 
proceedings. Among the more important are the following: "The 

Arkansas Industrial Univer- 
sity," Cassier's Magazine; 
"The Potential Efificiency of 
Prime Movers," Proceedings 
American Society Mechanical 
Engineers, Volume 25 
(1904) ; "Theory of the Mo- 
ment of Inertia," Ibid., Vol- 
ume 20 (1899) ; "Education of 
Railway Mechanical Engi- 
neers," Proceedings Western 
Railway Club, 1902. He was 
married December 25, 1888, 
to Miss Libbie A p p 1 e b e e. 
Four children have been born 
to them. 




Julius James Knoch. 



Julius James Knoch, son 

of Herman and Amelia 
(Roebling) Knoch, was born 
at Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, 
a small town near the city of 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



479 



Pittsburg-, January 12, 1863. His father was born in Muhlheisen, 
Germany, and came to America in 1831. His mother, who was a niece 
of W. A. Roebling, the builder of the Brooklyn Bridge, was born at 
Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, in 1837. His early education was obtained 
at the public schools near his home. He then entered Grove City 
College, Grove City, Pennsylvania, in 1882, receiving the degree of 
B. S. in 1886, and the degree of M. S. in 1888. The same year he 
entered Cornell University and received the degree of C. E. in 1892. 

He was instructor of German and mathematics in Cove City 
College from 1886 to 1888, and did professional work as assistant 
engineer to Professor C. L. Crandall at Ithaca, New York. This work 
included a steel highway bridge of three spans and approaches across 
the Suscjuehanna River at Oswego, New York, the total length of the 
structure l)eing about nine hundred feet. 

From June, 1893, to 1894, he was adjunct professor of civil engi- 
neering in the University of 
Arkansas ; associate profes- 
sor of civil engineering, 
1894-1897. In 1897 he was 
made a full professor. He 
has been acting- city engi- 
neer of Fayetteville since 
1898. He was married to 
Miss Amelia K e e 1 e r of 
Ithaca, New York, in May, 
1893. Of this union two 
sons have been born, Elmo 
and Lester. 



Virgil Proctor Knott, son 

of W. J. and Mary Belle 
(Jackson) Knott, was born 
at Bentonville, Ar k a n s a s, 
December 1, 1882. He was 
educated in the public 
schools of Bentonville and 




Virgil Proctor Knott. 



480 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



in the Bentonville Academy. He entered the University of Arkansas 
in 1899, -from which he was graduated in June, 1904, with the degree 
of B. C. E. After his graduation he was employed in the following 
positions : Assistant engineer on construction of Fort Smith and 
Western Railway with residence at Okemah, Oklahoma, 1902-03 ; 
assistant engineer with the Terminal Railway Association in St. Louis 
from May until September, 1906; assistant professor of civil engi- 
neering in the University of Arkansas 1904-07 and associate professor 
of civil engineering in same institution, which position he now holds. 
He is a member of the Societv for Promotion of Engineering Education. 



James Wyse Kuykendall was born at Gainesville, Arkansas, Sep- 
tember 12, 1873. He received his elementary education in the public 
schools of Arkansas and Texas. He later took work in Thompson's 
Classical Institute. St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons, and 

later the University of Arkan- 
sas, but he received no degree 
except the L. L in 1904. After 
his graduation he began 
teaching. He was first em- 
ployed in the public schools 
of Texas, 1892-93. He then 
accepted a position in Para- 
gould, Arkansas. He has 
since held the following posi- 
tions : Teacher of mathe- 
matics, Thompson's Classical 
Institute, Paragould, 1893-94; 
vice-principal Paragould pub- 
lic school, 1894-96; deputy 
state superintendent of public 
instruction, 1897-1901 ; state 
superintendent of public 
instruction, 1898 (seven 
weeks) ; principal preparatory 
department. University o f 
James Wyse Kuykendall. Arkansas, 1901-05; superin- 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



481 



tendent of schools, Fort Smith, Arkansas, since 1905. He has held 
several honorary positions, including the presidency of the State Teachers' 
Association. 

He was married to Miss Alary Ida Hopkins in 1894. P^oiir children 
were born to them. 



Alvin V. Lane was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 14, i860. 
He entered Vanderbilt University in his early manhood, and was graduated 
from that institution with the degree of C. E. in 1881 and Ph. D. in 1882. 
After his graduation he entered 
the teaching profession. He 
has occupied the following 
positions : Professor of engi- 
neering in the PIniversity of 
Arkansas, 1883-84; associate 
professor of applied mathe- 
matics in the University of 
Texas, 1885-86. In July, 1886, 
he entered the banking business 
in Dallas, in which he has since 
been engaged. He is the author 
of "Note on Roulette," pub- 
lished in the Journal of Mathe- 
matics, volume VIII, Number 2, 
also of Adjustments of the 
Compass, Transit and Level 
(Ginn & Co.). He is an active 
member of the Masonic frater- 
nity, and is 32° K. C. C. H. of 
the Scottish Rite and Past 
Grand Commander of the 
Knights Templar of Texas. He is a trustee of the public library associa- 
tion, ex-president of the Texas Bankers' Association and vice-presi- 
dent the American Exchange National Bank of Dallas. He was 
married to Miss Lulu McHeney of Corsicana, Texas, in December, 
1886. Two daughters and one son have been born of this union. 




Alvin V. Lane. 



482 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Wilfrid Lenton, the second son of Henry Lenton, B. Sc. (London), 
F. A. A., and Lucy (Letch) Lenton, was born at Oundle in the County 
of Northampton, England, October 15, 1878. He attended Thrapston 
High School, taking first place in the examinations during his last year 
there, 1896. From 1896 to 1898 he was a "pupil-teacher" at the Rock- 
ingham Road Board School, an institution having a seating capacity of 

600 scholars and always more 
than full. There he worked 
for the Teachers' Certificate, 
attending regular "P-T" classes 
and also continued his attend- 
ance, begun in his high school 
days, upon courses under the 
direction of the science and art 
department of South Kensing- 
ton, London (now the British 
Ed u c a t i o n a 1 Department) . 
Here he took high rank and 
received the teacher's "D" 
(Drawing Certificate). In 1898 
he took the Queen's Scholar- 
ship, entitling the holder to 
two years' free tuition at a uni- 
versity with £100 ($500) per 
annum for expenses and a con-, 
ditional third year. 

When the South African 
war broke out, he left his books 
and the special work v/hich he 
had taken up for the London matriculation examination and enlisted as 
Trooper 10,250 in the 56th squadron, loth regiment of imperial yeomanry 
(Royal Bucks, Hussars) and sailed for Table Bay early in 1899, where, 
after serving as trooper and acting non-commissioned officer under various 
generals, he received a commission as first lieutenant at Fourteen Streams 
in the Transvaal and immediatel}^ went to Johannesburg to be assigned 
his command. He was gazetted to the 42d squadron, 12th regiment of 
imperial yeomanry and joined them at Kroonstad. He served with this 




Wilfrid Lenton. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 483 

squadron till peace was declared and then went back to England with them. 
After six months of holiday-making and visiting in England he went to 
western Canada, and in 1903 entered the Ontario Veterinary College ' 
(affiliated with the University of Toronto) as a junior and graduated from 
that institution in 1905 with the gold medal for best general examination 
and first prizes in pathology and physiology, second prize in anatomy, third 
prize in disease and treatment and honors in three other subjects. Going 
west once more he practiced as a veterinarian at Belmont, Manitoba, till 
July, 1906, when he was offered the position of assistant veterinarian at 
the Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Arkansas. 

In July, 1907, he w^as made veterinarian to that institution and assist- 
ant in animal pathology. On the resignation of Dr. R. R. Dinwiddie, 
the departments of veterinary science and animal pathology were reor- 
ganized, animal husbandry being classed as a separate department and 
the remainder being put into one department, veterinary science, of 
which he took charge. In 1906 he became a member of the Association of 
Interstate Live Stock Sanitary Boards, which was renamed in October, 
1909, the United States Live Stock Sanitation Association. Previous to 
1906 the condition in Arkansas in respect to diseases of animals was 
very unsatisfactory ; there were a few inefficient laws in the statutes, but 
even these were unenforced because it was no one's specific duty to enforce 
them. They were worded ambiguously, and, for lack of expert opinion, 
animals affected with such contagious diseases as glanders were given the 
benefit of any doubt and allowed to live and infect others. Professor 
Lenton drew up what he considered a good working bill intended to 
cover all points of animal sanitation and the legislature of 1907-8 enacted 
this into law as Act 409. Since 1906, eight counties have been entirely 
freed from the Texas fever tick and placed above the U. S. quarantine 
line and several others will soon be placed in the free area. After two 
years' work on his part to this end the entire herd of tuberculous dairy 
cattle at the State Insane Asylum at Little Rock was destroyed. 

On October 9, 1907, he married Miss Gertrude Eva Hay. Of this 
union one son, Wilfrid Drummond, and one daughter, Ethel Rebecca, 
have been born. 



484 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Max Carl Giinther Lentz was born at Hathenow in the Oderbruch 
Province, Brandenburg. Prussia, February 27, 1857. He was educated 
by private teachers on the family estate Wusterwitz in the Neumark 
until 1866. Then he attended the Gymnasium at Frankfurt on the Oder 
till 1875, and from there he went to the Gymnasium at Konigsberg in 
the Neumark where he graduated in April, 1878. Shortly after this 

he entered the University of 
Munich where he studied 
philosoph}^ for three semes- 
ters, but he then changed to 
the faculty of law and stud- 
ied jurisprudence one semes- 
ter in Berlin, one in Zurich, 
one in Munich, one in 
Geneva and one again in 
Berlin. During this time he 
traveled extensively in Ger- 
many, Austria, Italy, Switz- 
erland and France. 

He came to the United 
States in April, 1882, and 
settled in Dallas, Texas, 
where he spent some twelve 
months in hunting. After 
spending a year and a half 
on the farm of his father 
near Terrell, Texas, he began 
Max Carl Giinther Lentz. |-^jg career as a tcachcr by 

giving instruction in modern languages at different schools, public and 
private, in Dallas, Texas. The next five years, 1887-92, he spent in 
business as a member of the firm Lentz Brothers, architects. During 
this period the firm built about fifty private residences in Dallas and 
Oak Cliff, Texas. He then resumed teaching by giving instruction in 
French, Italian and music at the Oak Cliff College for Young Ladies. 
In 1894 he accepted a position as instructor of modern languages and 
Greek at the Paterson Military School, Paterson, N. J., which position 
he kept seven years. During this period he also taught at the St. 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 485 

Aloysius Academy ((lerman, French, Latin), the Mary Bryan Insti- 
tute (German), and the Graves Classical and English School (German, 
Latin and Greek). 

In 1901 he founded tlie Paterson Acadeni}', a preparatory school, 
of which he was the principal. The ten million dollar fire in Fehruary, 
1903, which destroyed the whole business section of Paterson, made 
an end of the Paterson Academy. In 1904 he became associate 
editor of the National Cyclopedia of American Biography. In this 
capacity he interviewed leading Americans in Newark, N. J., and Bos- 
ton, Mass., and wrote their biographies, an occupation which proved 
to be more interesting than lucrative. In August, \'-)05, he accepted 
the position as acting professor of Cierman language and literature at 
the University of Maine. During the summer of 1906 he visited New 
Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In 1906 he was made assistant professor 
of German language and literature in the University of Maine. In 
September, 1907, he came to the University of Arkansas as professor 
of (lermanic languages. In December, 190.% he married Miss Agnes 
Lucie Meinecke, who was born in Llamljurg, (lermany. 

He has edited the following l)Ooks : Stifter, Das Heiderdorf, with 
Introduction, Notes and Vocabulary; Heyse, Anfang und luide, witli 
Introduction, Notes and Vocabulary; Heyse, L'Arrabbiata, with Intro- 
duction, Notes, Vocabulary and Material for German Prose Compo- 
sition ; (jroller. Incognito, with Introduction, Notes, Vocabulary, and 
Material for Prose Composition ; Two Cierman Tales (Wigo by 
Jacobsen and Der Tschokoi by Kraner), with Introduction, Notes, 
Vocabulary and Material for Prose Composition ; Conversational Ger- 
man (unpublished). 



Charles Hendee Leverett, son of F. P. and Matilda Leverett, was 
born in Boston, Massachusetts, November 30, 1833. He was descended 
from a line of noted scholars, statesmen and jurists of Massachusetts. 
At the age of sixteen he entered the University of South Carolina 
and completed a thorough classical and literary course. He graduated 



486 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



at nineteen, receiving- the A. M. After his graduation he taught in his 

adopted State until the begin- 
ning of the Civil War, when 
he joined Colock's brigade 
and served three years. He 
was also in General Wade 
Hampton's Legion. In Sep- 
tember, 1868, he was called 
to Searcy, Arkansas, to take 
charge of a high school at 
that place. The next fall he 
went to Washington County 
to teach at the Ozark Insti- 
tute, a few miles north of 
Fayetteville. In 1871 he was 
elected to the chair of 
ancient languages in the 
University of Arkansas 
which was then in progress 
of organization. His con- 
nection with the university 
was continuous until the 
sweeping changes of 1885. 
He was recalled as adjunct professor of ancient languages in 1888, and 
was later made full professor. In 1894 the department was divided 
and he became professor of Greek and held this position one year. 

He was not only a scholar and splendid disciplinarian, but also 
a man of humor. There is a tradition that many a dull faculty meeting 
was enlivened by his keen but kindly sallies. He was also a shrewd 
business man. At the time of his death he had acquired considerable 
was later made full professor. In 1894 the department was divided 
member of the Episcopal Church. He was married to Miss Julia 
Jenkins of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1861. Of this union twelve 
children were born. He died in Fayetteville, November 12, 1897. 




Charles Hendee Leverett. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



487 



Alvan Fayette Lewis, son of Isaac 11. and I'Vances (Stone) Lewis, 
was l)()rn in Warren County, Kentucky, October 9, 1861. Jle is of 
Welsh descent, his ancestors havinj^" been amon*^ the pioneers of Ken- 
tucky. After graduating- from the I'ittsburg High School, Bowling 
Green, he entered Ogden College and graduated with the ]>. A. in 1881. 
In 1884 he received the B. A. from Princeton, the M. A. in 1887, and the 
Ph. D. from Johns I lopkins in 
1899. He also studied in Ber- 
lin during the winter sem- 
ester, 1898-9, and also spent 
one winter at Leipsic. Ills 
career as a teacher began as 
principal of the grammar 
school of Ogden College. 
After leaving j'rinceton he 
taught for one year in the 
Male and L\'male Institute 
at Pardstown, Kentucky. He 
left there in 1885 to become 
an instructor in the Univer- 
sity of Arkansas, where lie 
remained two years. He then 
went to the West Morida 
State College at Tallahassee 
for two years, and in 1892 was 
called back to the institution 
as president. This position 
he held until 1897. In 1899 
he was called back to the 

University of Arkansas to take charge of the de])artment of history. 
In the fall of 1901 he was compelled to give u]) his work on account 
of ill health and was granted leave of absence for one year, but at the 
end of that time he resigned. In June, 1904, feeling that his health 
had been sufficiently recovered to justify the step, he accepted an 
unexpected call to the presidency of Waynesburg, (Penn.), College. 
At the end of the year he resigned and went abroad. In June, 1906, 
he was called to the presidency of his alma mater at Bowling Green, 




Alvan Fayette Lewis. 



488 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



which position he now holds. He is the author of Higher Education 
in Kentucky (U. S. Government, 1903). He is unmarried. 



Antonio Marinoni was born at Pozzolengo, a town not far from 
Brescia in Lombardy, Italy, in 1879. When only a few years old he 
was brought by his parents to Brazil where he remained three years. 
His father took him back to Italy and put him in school. At an early 
age he entered an elementary school of a six-year course and at the 
age of twelve he was admitted to the Ginnasio, a classical school with 

a five-year course, and later 
to the Liceo, another classi- 
cal school with a three-year 
course, leading to a Licenza, 
corresponding, as far as a. 
comparison can be made, to 
the B. A. degree granted by 
representative colleges o f 
this country, x^fter gradu- 
ating from the Liceo at the 
age of twenty, he entered 
the University of Padua, 
where he did graduate work 
in the Facolta di Lettere. 

While at Padua he con- 
ceived the idea of joining his 
parents in New York and 
learning English, while car- 
rying on his graduate work, 
intending, however, to 
return to Padua and finish 
his work leading to the doc- 
tor's degree. The plan was carried out only in part. Early in 1901 he 
came to America. From New York he moved with his family to 
Waterbur}^, Connecticut. A little over a year after his arrival he was 
able to use English with a certain degree of fluency. While improv- 




Antonio ^Nlarinoni. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 489 

ing- his knowledge of English he kept up the study of his university 
subjects, which, printed in lecture form as they were developed by his 
professors at Padua, were sent to him regularly by student friends of 
his. It happened, however, that the school authorities of Waterbury, 
Connecticut, where he was staying, decided to include in the winter 
evening courses an elementary course in English for the benefit of the 
resident Italians. The place was offered to Professor Marinoni who 
gave instruction for two consecutive winters. He then entered Yale 
University as a graduate student where he received his A. M. degree. 
In October, 1904, he was appointed to the position as lecturer in the 
Romance languages in Columbia University during the absence of Dr. 
Page. At the close of that school year he was appointed as adjunct 
professor of Romance languages in the University of Arkansas. Two 
years later, upon recommendation of President Tillman, the depart- 
ment of English and modern languages was divided into three 
departments, ^'iz., English, German, and Romance languages. He 
then became the head of the department of Romance languages with 
the rank of professor. 

Aside from his school work, professor Marinoni has traveled exten- 
sively in Europe and especially in France where he remained for 
months at various intervals. While in this country Professor 
Marinoni was associated with some of the noted educators. He has 
written a critical study on Carducci published in the South Atlantic 
Quarterly (July, 1907) and another on Heredia is to appear soon. 
He has also published an Italian text-book for college use and his 
work on the Modern Lyrics of France (written in collaboration with 
Dr. Carroll) has recently been accepted for publication by W. R. 
Jenkins & Company of New York. He has further prepared an 
Italian Anthology of the works of Carducci, an Italian grammar, 
and a collection of French stories by Maupassant. These books are 
at present in the hands of the publishers. 

He was married July 30, 1908, to Miss Rosa Zagnoni of Brooklyn, 
New York. Of this union two daughters (twins), one of whom 
survives, have been born to them. 



490 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Simon James McLean, son of James and Mary McLean, was born 
on June 14, 1871. He attended private and public schools in the city 
of Quebec and Cumberland, Province of Ontario. In 1885 he entered 
the Ottawa Collegiate Institute from which he graduated in 1890 as 
medalist in English and history. In 1890 he entered the University 
of Toronto and received the degree of B. A. in 1894, standing first in 

political economy.. He was 
awarded the Ramsay post- 
graduate scholarship in 
political economy and later 
the Mackenzie Fellowship in 
political economy in the Uni- 
versity of Toronto, and 
received the degree of LL. B. 
from this institution in 1895. 
After this he held fellow- 
ships in economics and polit- 
ical science in the Columbia 
and Chicago Universities, 
receiving the M. A. from the 
former in 1896, the Ph. D. 
from the latter in 1897. 

In 1897 Mr. McLean was 
appointed the first incumbent 
of the recently established 
chair of economics and soci- 
ology in the University of 
Arkansas. This professor- 
ship he held until 1902, when he resigned to accept the position of 
associate professor of economics and head of the department of 
economics and social science in Leland Stanford Junior University. 
In January of 1906 he resigned this position to accept the associate 
professorship of political economy in the University of Toronto. In 
September, 1908, he resigned this position to accept an appointment 
as a member of the Railway Commission of Canada. 




Simon James McLean. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 491 

Throughout his career he has been especially interested in the 
problems o7 transportation. While he has devoted attention to the 
transportation problems of England and of France, his special interests 
have been concerned with the problems presentd by Canada and the 
United States. These he has studied from the comparative stand- 
point. In this connection he has conducted special transportation 
investigations for the governments of Canada and of the United 
States. 

During the period 1898-1902 he acted as an expert adviser to the 
department of railways and canals of Canada in connection with 
contemplated changes in the railway policy of Canada. In 1901 he was 
appointed special commissioner on railway rate grievances for Canada. 
In this ca]:)acity he conducted investigations throughout Canada. The 
results of his investigations were embodied in a report published in 
1902. In tlie following year the railway law^ of Canada was revised 
in accordance with Mr. McLean's recommendations and a railway 
commission for Canada was appointed. He also acted in an advisory 
capacity in the rearrangement and drafting of the new railway act. 
In the period 1904-05 he acted as special expert agent of the United 
States Bureau of the Census and of the Interstate Commerce Com- 
mission in connection with the investigation which these bodies were 
conducting in regard to the valuation of railways in the United States. 
Mr. McLean had charge of the investigations in the states of Cali- 
fornia, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah and Nevada. In 1905 he was 
appointed chairman of the transportation section of the Common- 
wealth Club of San Francisco. His interest in the labor problem 
was recognized in his appointment as ciiairman of a commission 
appointed to investigate labor disputes in the Temiskaming mine in 
the cobalt-silver mining district of Canada. 

Mr. McLean has been especially interested in the problems of 
practical economics — transportation, banking, commerce, labor, etc. 
During his residence in Arkansas he read papers on banking topics 
before the Northwest Arkansas Bankers' Association and the Arkansas 
Bankers' Association. He has published a large number of articles 
in newspapers and periodicals in the United States, Canada, England 
and France. The following list gi\'es the more important titles of his 
published work : 



492 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

"Tariff History of Canada," University of Toronto Studies, 1905. 

"Social Settlements," Canadian Magazine, 1897. 

"Beginnings of Canadian Railway History," Canadian Magazine, 
1899. 

"Canadian Railways and the Bonding Question," Journal of Politi- 
cal Economy, 1899. 

"History and Evolution of Banking," Proceedings of Northwest 
Arkansas Bankers' Association, 1899. 

"Street Railways and the Public," Journal of Political Economy, 
1899. 

"The Arkansas Railway Commission Law," Journal of Political 
Economy, 1899. 

"Bank Note Circulation in the United States," Proceedings of 
Arkansas Bankers' Association, 1900. 

"Federal Regulation of Railways in the United States," Economic 
Journal (London, England), 1900. 

"City Government in Arkansas," Annals of American Academy 
of Political and Social Science, 1901. 

"The Use of Credit Instruments in Business in Arkansas," Pro- 
ceedings of Arkansas Bankers' Association, 1901. 

"Railway Rate Regulation in Canada," Forum, 1902. 

"The English Railway and Canal Commission of 1888," Quarterly 
Journal of Economics, 1905. 

"Railway Rate Regulation in Canada, England and France" — three 
articles in the Railway World, 1905. 

"The St. Lawrence Route" — a series of four articles. Railway Age, 
1907. 

"Some Recent Decisions of the Canadian Railway Commission," 
Railway Age, 1907. 

"The Early Federation Movement in Australia," University 
Monthly, 1908. 

"The Reorganization of the Canadian Railway Commission," 
Ibid., 1908. 

"The Currency Question in Indo-China," Ibid., 1908. 

"La Politique Canadienne de subvention des Chemins de Fer," 
Revue Economique Internationale, Brussels, 1908. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 493 

Aside from those named he has written for the Quarterly Review 
of London and the Economic Journal of London. Professor McLean 
is a member of the British and of the American Economic Associa- 
tions. He is also a member of the executive committee of the 
Canadian Club of Toronto. 

He was married to Miss Hellen Baillie McDougall in 1899. Two 
children have been born to this union. 



Jerome Fee McNeill, B. S., M. A., was a native of Ohio, a graduate 
of Antioch College, also of Indiana University. He married Miss 
Mary Alderson of Boston. For several years he taught in Indiana, 
and was later superintendent of schools at Moline, Illinois. 

Professor McNeill was connected with the University of Arkansas 
from 1890 to 1898, first as professor of biology and geology, later, on 
the division of the department, as professor of biology. Aside from 
his work in biology, Professor McNeill displayed an intelligent interest 
in three phases of college work. Under his direction, the University 
library was rescued from a state of chaos by the introduction of a 
better system of organization and classification. He himself acted 
as librarian. He was the promoter of the lecture course, which for 
several years commanded unusually able talent and was self-support- 
ing. Professor McNeill was one of the first men of the faculty to 
evince an interest in athletics at the university. For the past several 
years he has been professor of biology at Florida State College. 



Albert Ernest Menke, born June 30, 1861, was educated at Kings 
College, London, England; Harvard University, and at Halle Uni- 
versity, Germany. He held the Daniells scholarship in Kings College 
and the Sibley fellowship in Cornell University, from which institution 
he took the Ph. D. degree. He was later fellow in chemical societies 
of London and Berlin. He was married December 3, 1900, to Mary 
Lillian Brown, daughter Judge B. J. Brown, Little Rock, Ark. In 
1883 he was elected to the chair of chemistry in Kentucky State 
College, which position he held until 1887, when he was elected 
professor of chemistry in University of Arkansas in 1887. This chair 



494 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



he continued to hold until 1902, when he resigned. He is now presi- 
dent of the Ferro-steel Company. Professor Menke is the author of the 
following- original investigations : "Salts of Nitrous Oxide ;" "On 
Some Points in Chemical Dynamics;" "Alkaloids of Veratrum 
Viride;" "Alkaloids of Japanese Aconite Root;" "Curcumin;" "Syn- 
thesis of Bomeol;" "Turmerol." He has also written other papers, 
some conjointly with D. C. R. Alder Wright of St. Mary's Hospital 
Medical School, London, and some with Professor C. Loring Jackson 
of Plarvard University. 



James Mitchell, son of James and Mary Mitchell, was born at 
Cane Hill, Arkansas, May 8, 1832. His opportunities for -an educa- 
tion were very meager. Owing to his father's financial difficulties he 
was compelled to spend the greater part of his time on the farm. 
Plowever, he managed to secure a little education when his services 

were not so greatly needed. 
In 1846 he went to Fort 
Smith and assisted a friend 
and former teacher in a 
school there. In the spring 
of 1847 he returned home 
and took up the farm work. 
Until he was twenty-three 
vears of age, he alternately 
attended school and followed 
the plow. His last school 
years were spent at the old 
Cane Hill Collegiate Insti- 
tute — later Cane Hill Col- 
lege. In 1856 Mr. Mitchell 
received an appointment as 
United States deputy sur- 
\eyor for the territories of 
Kansas and Nebraska. He 
returned home in 1858 and 
in the fall of 1859 began a 
James Mitchell. school at the acadcmy at 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 495 

Evans\ille, Arkansas. In 1860 he was elected tf) the state legislature 
and served one term. At the opening of the war he joined the 
Confederate army as a private in an independent cavalry company and 
continued in that part of the service through the summer's campaign 
of 1861. In 1862 he entered the infantry as a lieutenant and remained 
in that branch of the service until 1863. In December of the same 
year he was transferred to the cavalry and appointed quartermaster 
for Crawford's regiment. After the war closed Mr. Mitchell lived for 
a time in Texas, but later returned to Cane Hill. When the college 
tlierc. which had been burned by the Federals, was rebuilt he was 
elected to a professorship and taught there steadily for the next six 
years. During this time this institution conferred on him the degree 
of I!. A. 

In 1874 he was unanimously elected to the chair of history and 
English literature in the Arkansas Industrial University at Fayette- 
ville. which place he at once accepted. In 1877 he resigned his chair in 
the university to accept an ofifer to take editorial charge of the Little 
Rock "Gazette." After two years Mr. Mitchell severed his connection 
with the "Gazette" (May, 1878) and the following September with 
General W. D. Blocher purchased from Colonel J. X. Smithee the 
"Arkansas Democrat." In 1890 the Arkansas Democrat Company- 
was formed with Mr. Mitchell as president. He was editor-in-chief 
of the "Democrat" until a little more than two months before his 
death, when illness compelled him to take his bed. 

Through all of his newspaper life the old teacher was ever apparent. 
Xo subject was of more absorbing interest to him than that of schools, 
as the files of the "Democrat" abundantly attest. Its columns were 
ever open to discussions looking to the betterment of any and all 
schools, but especially was he interested in the public school system 
of Little Rock and was ambitious to see it brought to the highest 
standard of excellence. In recognition of his services to this end the 
board of directors a year and a half ago ordered one of the new public 
schools to be called "The James Mitchell School." Mr. Mitchell 
urged more ardently than anything else the policy of paying the 
teachers better salaries, and equal salaries for men and women where 
the work was equal, arguing always that it was the only means of 



496 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



securing competent teachers. These ideas he especially urged with 
regard to the teachers at the state university, of which he served as a 
trustee for several years. 

Mr. Mitchell was postmaster at Little Rock during Cleveland's 
second administration, 1893-1897 ; a commissioner for Arkansas to the 
World's Fair at Chicago ; member of the Little Rock public school 
board; member of and at one time president of Arkansas Editorial 
Association and member of the National Editorial Association ; presi- 
dent of the Peoples' Building Association and member of the board 
of trade. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, having joined 
at Fayetteville before the war, but took no degree higher than the 
Royal Arch. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias and a 
member of the local camp ("Omer Weaver") of Confederate veterans. 
He was married to Miss Elizabeth Latha, January 31, 1860. Eight 
children were born of this union, of whom seven survive : Mary, 
_^ . , William Starr, Frances, Alice 

(Mrs. John E. Coates), Jane 
(Mrs. Ashley Cochrell), Hor- 
ace and James. He died at 
Little Rock, June 26, 1902. 




Brainerd Mitchell, Jr. 



Brainerd Mitchell, Jr., was 

born at Pearl, Pike County, 
Illinois, February 17, 1878. 
The first fifteen years of his 
life were spent in Illinois, 
Florida, Tennessee, and Ne- 
braska. His parents came to 
Arkansas in 1893 and settled 
on a farm in Arkansas 
County. His education up to 
this time was received in the 
public schools. 

During the Spanish-Ameri- 
can War he served in the 
second regiment of Arkansas 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



497 



volunteer infantry from May, 1898, until the regiment was mustered 
out in February, 1899. This time was spent in camps in Georgia and 
Alabama. 

On the 14th of March, 1899, he entered the preparator}^ department 
at the University of Arkansas. He spent seven years at this institu- 
tion, bearing the burden of sending himself to college. He received 
an L. I. certificate in 1905, and 
the degree of B. M. E. in 1907 ^ ^ 

In 1905, while a senior stu- 
dent, he was appointed ad- 
junct professor of mechanical 
engineering. He is now asso- 
ciate professor. 




Hugh Ellis Morrow, son 

of M. M. and Josephine 
(Ellis) Morrow, was born 
December 14, 1882, in Wash- 
ington County, Arkansas. In 
1904 he was graduated from 
the University of Arkansas, 
taking the B. S. A. degree, 
and has since taken graduate 
work in chemistry at the Uni- 
versity of Chicago. 

In 1904 he w^as elected to 
the position of adjunct profes- ""^^ ^"'^ ^^°''''°^^'- 

sor of chemistry, and in 1906 to the position of associate professor. 
He is a member of the American Chemical Society. He was married 
to Miss Madge Bates in 1908, and has one child, a son. 



Antony Moultrie Muckenfuss, son of Dr. B. A. and Rosalie 
(Stewart) Muckenfuss was born August 5, 1869, on Sullivan's Island, 
in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. He entered Wotford 



498 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



College, from which he received the B. A. degree in 1889, and the 
master's degree in 1890. He then entered the teaching profession, 
and from 1889 to 1891 he was principal of Dacho high school, South 

Carolina. He then entered 
the University of Virginia. In 
1894 he entered Johns Hop- 
kins University, from which 
he received the Ph. D. the 
following year. After receiv- 
ing his degree he became a 
student in Berlin in 1895, and 
the summers of 1896, 1898. 
and 1902 were spent in the 
University of Chicago. He 
was professor of chemistry 
and physics at Millsap Col- 
lege, Mississippi, 1893-94 and 
1895-1902. He was then 
professor of chemistry and 
physics in the University of 
Arkansas, 1902-04, and pro- 
fessor of chemistry in the 
same institution, 1904-05. He 
then accepted the chair of 
chemistry in the University 
of Mississippi, which position 
he now holds. He is research expert for Lowe Brothers Company, 
Dayton, Ohio. He is a member of the American Association for the 
Advancement of Science; American Chemical Society; the Society of 
Chemical Industry of England, and the Mississippi Historical Asso- 
ciation. 

He is author of the following. Two Bulletins on Fertilizers for the 
experiment station in the University of Arkansas; two chemical 
researches for American Chemical Journal, Baltimore ; two articles on 
"Industrial Mississippi" for Mississippi State Historical Society; 
"Research on Rapid Test for Paints" for the Lowe Brothers Company; 
Bulletin on "Manufactures in Mississippi" for the 12th U. S. Census; 




Antony Moultrie Muckenfuss. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



499 



"Development of Manufactures in Mississippi" for the State Historical 
Society. He was married to Miss Margaret K. Galloway in 1897. 
Three children, two of whom survive, have been born to them. 



Martin Nelson was born and brought up on a farm in Crawford 
County, Wisconsin. After having received a common school educa- 
tion he moved with his parents to Vernon County and attended the 
high school at Verogua, Wisconsin, from which he was graduated in 
1896. He taught school for 
one year, but in 1898 he 
entered the normal school at 
Stevens P o i n t, Wisconsin, 
from which he was graduated 
in 1900. He then became prin- 
cipal of the Star Lake 
Schools, but resigned after 
two years to attend the Uni- 
versity of Wisconsin. He 
received the degree of B. S. A. 
in 1905 and the M. S. in 1906. 
He then accepted a position 
with the experiment station 
as collaborator of agricultural 
history and conditions with 
reference to its scientific bear- 
ing upon soil depletion and 
soil conservation. In Sep- 
tember, 1906, he accepted a 
position in the department of 
field crops and soils of the 
University of Nebraska. He 
was made a member of the faculty and station staff and a member of 
the faculty in the summer school. In 1908 he took charge of the 
department during the absence of the professor. In September, 1908, 
he accepted the position of professor of agronomy in the College of 
Agriculture and agronomist in the experiment station of the University 
of Arkansas. 




Martin Nelson. 



500 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Rufus Jerry Nelson, son of Sam Houston and Alice (Wyatt) 
Nelson, was born December 6, 1871, in Hemstead County Arkansas. 
He left Arkansas with his parents when but two years old and went 
to Gonzales County, Texas, where he lived until he was about twelve 
years of age. His parents then moved to Paraclifta, about twelve 
miles from De Queen, their present home. He attended the public 

schools of Sevier County. 
entered the University of 
Arkansas January 4, 1900. 
He received normal diploma 
L. I. in 1903, took the degree 
of B. S. A. from the 
university 1904, M. S. in 
agriculture in 1907. He was 
assistant superintendent of 
horticulture a t Louisiana 
Purchase Exposition at St. 
Louis, 1904; assistant prin- 
cipal Rocky Comfort high 
school. Foreman, Arkansas, 
1904-05. Was appointed field 
agent for the agricultural 
experiment station (Arkan- 
sas) July, 1905. He was 
elected professor of agricul- 
ture in the College of Agri- 
culture of the University of 
Arkansas, February 1, 1908. 
He attended the graduate school of agriculture at Cornell University 
during the summer of 1908. He was elected professor of agricultural 
education in the University of Arkansas in June, 1909. In addition to 
teaching, he assisted the manager to hold farmers' institutes over the 
State. He has written bulletins 89, 94, 98, Arkansas Agricultural 
Experiment Station, on rice growing; also Circular 1, an extension 
bulletin, "Corn Judging," a circular for boys' corn clubs of the 
State. He has written a good deal for the press on agricultural 




Rufus Jerry Nelson 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



501 



education. Since January, 1910, he has been editor of "Farm and 
Ranch" at Dallas, Texas. 

lie is a member of the Arkansas Polytechnic Society, Arkansas 
State Horticultural Society, American Forestry Association, and of 
the Arkansas State Teachers' Association. He was married to Miss 
Flossie Ella Sandcrford, June 14, 1908. One child who is now dead 
was born to them. 



Clifford Lewis Newman, son of J. S. and Elberta (Lewis) Newman, 
was born at Columbus, Georgia, July 25, 1864. In 1865 his parents 
moved to Orange County, Virginia, and engaged in farming on the 
old Hilton homestead, which is three miles from President James 
Madison's old home at Bloomfield. In 1867 he moved with his parents 
to Sparta, Hancock County, Georgia, and engaged in farming and 
fruit growing until 18 7 5, 
when his father became 
editing clerk of Georgia 
state department of agricul- 
ture with residence in 
Atlanta. Mr. Newman 
entered the public schools of 
Atlanta and advanced to 
highest grade of the Atlanta 
high school in 1882. In Octo- 
ber, 1883, he entered the 
sophomore class of A. & M. 
College of Alabama, gradu- 
ating in the course of 
agriculture and chemistry in 
1886 with honor in geology, 
botany and agriculture. 
While a student he was 
prominent in athletics. From 
June, 1886, to August, 1887, 
he assisted as graduate stu- 

d e n t in agriculture and Clifford Lewis Xewman. 

horticulture experiment work of Alabama Experiment Station. 




502 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

In September, 1887, he entered upon the duties of assistant pro- 
fessor of agriculture in University of Tennessee. In 1889 he was elected 
principal of the North Alabama Agricultural School, Athens, Ala- 
bama. Two years later he was elected assistant agriculturist of the 
Arkansas experiment station and was placed in charge of the branch 
station at Pine Blufif. A year later this branch was discontinued and 
another established at Camden, Ouachita County. He was in charge 
of the Camden branch from January, 1893, to September, 1897, when 
he was elected professor of agriculture in the University of Arkansas, 
and agriculturist of the experiment station. He held this position 
until 1904. In 1905 he was elected associate professor of agriculture 
and agronomist of experiment station at Clemson College; South 
Carolina. He is now dean of department of agriculture of A. & M. 
College of North Carolina at Raleigh. 

He is author of seventeen bulletins issued by the Arkansas experi- 
ment station, one bulletin by the Tennessee experiment station and 
five by the South Carolina experiment station. While at the Arkansas 
experiment station he accomplished work with cow peas, particularly 
in breeding, that led to the awarding of a gold medal by the 
Louisiana Purchase Exposition held in St. Louis in 1904. He is 
regarded as one of the highest national authorities on cow peas and 
cotton. After several interruptions in such work he settled down in 
South Carolina to certain experiments with cow peas and cotton, 
embracing hybridization and pedigree selection. A number of cow 
pea and several thousand cotton hybrids are now under observation 
and development at Clemson College. He has written extensively on 
agricultural subjects for the public press, particularly for agricultural 
papers and magazines. He is a member of American Breeders' 
Association and corresponding secretary of the Farmers' Society of 
Pendleton, South Carolina. He is now engaged in writing a history 
of Farmers' Society of Pendleton and a book on cow peas. 

He was married to Miss Fannie Stanley, December 6, 1893. Three 
sons were born to them. His first wife died in 1898, and in 1900 he 
was again married to Miss Nell Gates, daughter of Professor N. P. 
Gates of Fayetteville, Arkansas. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



503 



Christian Percival Norgord 

was broui^ht nj) and lived on 
a farm at IJangor, La Crosse 
County. Wisconsin, until he 
was eii^htecn years of at;c. In 
1891 he entered the luin^or 
hi^^h school and coni])letcd the 
science course in 1895. In 
1898 he finished the lon^ 
course at the Whitewater 
State Normal School. h>om 
1898 to 1902 lie was principal 
of the public high school at 
(Ontario, Wisconsin. During 
the simimers of these four 
years he attended the summer 
school at the Wisconsin Uni- 
versity, and, with the exce])- 
tion of writing a thesis, com- 
])leted the course leading to 
the degree of J'h. 15., special- 
izing in science in 1903. In 
1905 he completed the long course in agriculture at the Wisconsin 
college of agriculture and received the degree of bachelor of Science. 
In 1905 and 1906 he liad cliarge of the field and breeding work in 
barleys for the United States department of agriculture, with head- 
(juarters at Madison, Wisconsin. During the years 1907 and 1908 he 
was professcjr of agronomy in the College of Agriculture, University 
of Arkansas, and agriculturist in the exj)criment station. From July 
28, 1908, to the present time he has been assistant professor of 
agronomy at the Wisconsin Agricultural I'2xperiment Station and 
College of Agriculture. 




('llI■i^lian I'crciv.il .\ort;or<l. 



J. H. Norton was born on a farm in Scotland County, Missouri, 
July 9, 1873. lie received the following degrees from the University 
of Missouri: B. Agr., 1897; B. S., 1899; and M. S., 1907. lie is a 



504 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



member of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, a mem- 
ber of the American Chemical Society and a member of the American 
Association for the Advancement of Science. He was sergeant in 
company I, 5th Missouri U. S. V. I. during the late war with Spain. 
This company was composed of cadets from the University of Missouri 
and probably was the only strictly college company in the service. 

From 1899 to 1901 he was teacher of chemistry and physics in the 
high school at Springfield, Missouri ; 1901 to 1903 he was assistant 
forest expert in the Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. department of agri- 
culture ; 1903 to 1904 he was assistant chemist. North Dakota 
agricultural experiment station ; 1904-08 he was chemist, Arkansas 
agriculture experiment station and professor of agricultural chemistry 
in the University of Arkansas ; 1908-09 he was assistant professor of 
fertilization, University of California. In 1909 he became assistant 
professor of agricultural chemistry in charge of the citrus experiment 

station in the University of 
California. 

He wrote Bulletin No. 88, 
Arkansas Experiment Sta- 
tion, "Food Adulteration," 
also Bulletin No. 100, "Me- 
teorological Records." 

August 8, 1906, he was 
married to Miss Susan Mer- 
riman Reid of B u c y r u s, 
Ohio. They have one child, 
Richard Reid. 




Lee Sedwick Olney. 



Lee Sedwick Olney, son 

of G. S. and Virginia (Belt) 
Olney, was born at Fielden, 
Jersey County, Illinois, May 
27. 1883. His father was a 
merchant at Fielden until ill 
health caused him to retire 
from active business in 1897, 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 505 

at which time he, with the family, moved to Mena, Arkansas. Mr. 
Ohiey entered the public schools at Fielden September 9, 1889, at 
the age of six years. After spending- eight years in the graded school 
he entered the freshman class of the Jerseyville, Illinois, high 
school, remaining there for one year and then one year in the 
public schools at Mena, Arkansas. The years of 1899 and 1900 were 
spent in the Mena Hendrix Academy at Mena, Arkansas, then a branch 
of Hendrix College; while there he took the medal for scholarship 
offered by Hendrix College. In September, 1901, he entered the 
University of Arkansas, from which he was graduated in 1905 with 
the degree of Bachelor of Electrical Engineering. While a student 
he took a prominent part in athletics, playing on the Varsity eleven 
every year. He was also a member of the Garland Literary Society 
and of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. He was class orator both junior 
and senior years. 

The first summer after graduation he spent in camp with an 
engineering party laying out the Mena & Eastern Railroad, a small 
road connecting Mena and Hot Springs, Arkansas, acting as assistant 
engineer and transitman. The summer of 1907 was spent with the 
engineering department, transformer design of the Fort Wayne 
Electric Works of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The summer of 1909 was 
spent in graduate work at the University of Michigan, 

He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Churchy South, and an associate member of the American 
Institute of Electrical Engineers. Since graduation he has held a 
position on the teaching force of the engineering department of the 
University of Arkansas, rising from the rank of assistant to that of 
associate professor. 

On December 17, 1908, he was married at Fayetteville, Arkansas, 
to Miss Barbara Claire Davis. 



Lanning Parsons was born in Ohio, April 24, 1872. He was 
appointed from Ohio as a cadet in the Military Academy in June, 
1892. He was made second lieutenant of the fifth cavalry in June, 
1896. but a year later he was transferred to the tenth cavalry and then 
to the ninth cavalry in August, 1897. He continued in this capacity 



506 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



until 1901, when he was made first lieutenant of the fourth cavalry. 
He was made captain of the eii^hth cavalry in February, 1903. He 
was detailed professor of military science and tactics in the University 
of Arkansas January 9, 1903, and served in this capacity for one year. 
He was transferred to the ninth cavalry in December, 1904. 



Nicholas Bartlett Pearce, son of Allon and Mary Pearce, was born 
in Caldwell County, Kentucky, July 20, 1828. He graduated with 
honors at Cumberland College, Kentucky, before entering West Point, 
at which place he spent four years, graduating with highest honors 
in 1850. In 1858 he resigned from the U. S. army and settled at 
Osage Mills, Arkansas, engaging in mercantile business, until the 
breaking out of the Civil War, when he was appointed to organize 
and command the Arkansas state troops, in the western half of the 

State. After the state troops 
were merged into the Con- 
federate army he was made 
a commissary and assigned 
as chief to General Van 
Dorn's command. After the 
battle of Shiloh he was or- 
dered to Texas and was 
there appointed on the mili- 
tary board of Texas by the 
governor. In this capacity. 
as the only qualified military 
officer of that board, he con- 
tinued to serve during the 
remainder of the war. In 
1865 he visited Washington 
City and was pardoned by 
President Johnson. 

He returned in 1867 to 

the old homestead at Osage 

Mills, rebuilt his residence, 

Nicholas Bartlett Pearce. mill- and storc, and engaged 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 507 

in business. In 1872 he was appointed professor of mathematics in 
the University of Arkansas at F'ayetteville. In 1874 he severed his 
connection with the university and returned to Osage Mills. In 
1879-84 he was in the employ of a wholesale house in Kansas City. 
Missouri, and traveled in Texas, having moved there on account of his 
wife's health. Later he was with Lombard Investment Company as 
an expert land examiner and manager of field men. In all these 
varied employments he was successful. 

General Pearce died at Dallas, Texas, at the home of his daughter, 
Mrs. J. T. Choice, March 8, 1894. He was married to Miss Nannie 
Smith, January 25, 1855. Four children were born to them. 



George M. Peek was born in Richmond, Virginia, September 29, 
1870. He attended private schools and was an apprentice in the 
shops of the B. & O. R. R. Company in Baltimore. He also served 
in the shops of the Baxter Electric Motor Company of Baltimore. 
After graduating from the night school of the Maryland Institute of 
Art and Design, he became machinist in the shops of the Richmond 
Locomotive Works and later draftsman for the same company. 
Later he graduated from the Virginia Mechanics Institute and 
attended the University of Virginia, graduating with the degrees of 
mechanical engineer and civil engineer. During one summer he was 
draftsman for the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Com- 
pany. He was then made instructor in engineering at the University of 
Virginia and served six sessions. In 1896 he was called to the chair 
of mechanical engineering in the University of Arkansas and held 
this position for two years. After leaving Arkansas he opened a 
private office as engineer in Hampton, Virginia. He has served as 
engineer for the Pelton Water Wheel Company and has installed 
power plants in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Spain. At 
present he is engaged in consulting work in St. Louis, Missouri. He 
is married and has two children. 



Frank Welborn Pickel was born at Williamston, South Carolina. 
He attended the public school of his native town and in the fall of 



508 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 




1882 entered Furman Uni- 
versity, from which he re- 
ceived the B. A. degree in 
1886. He taught in the pub- 
lic school of his home two 
}'ears, then entered the Uni- 
versity of South Carolina in 
the fall of 1888 and received 
the master's degree from 



Frank Welborn Pickel. 



this institution in 1890. In 
1889 he was elected instruc- 
tor of hygiene and bacteri- 
ology in the University of 
South Carolina, and was also 
bacteriologist for the South 
Carolina experiment station, 
in which capacity he served 
two years. In the spring of 
1891 he was elected profes- 
sor of natural science in the 
Agricultural and Mechani- 
cal College of Florida, but 
remained here only one year. Desiring to pursue his biological studies 
further, he entered the John Hopkins University in the fall of 1892 as 
a graduate student of biology and remained there two years until June, 
1894. He was professor of Greek and German in Mississippi College 
from 1895 to 1897. In the fall of 1897 he went to the University of 
Chicago and received the degree of master of science from that insti- 
tution in January, 1899. He continued his research work there until 
the following August, when he was elected to his present position, 
professor of biology in the University of Arkansas. 

Some of the papers written by him are as follows : "Physiological 
Efifect of Lacto-Caramel on the Frog Heart;" "Accessory Bladders 
of Testudinata ;" "Origin and Development of Jacobson's Organ ;" 
"Structure and Function of Leaves." In August, 1901, he was married 
to Miss AUie B. Deupree and they have two sons, Frank Welborn 
Pickel, Jr., and Elbert Jefferson Pickel. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



509 



Robert B. Powers was born in Kentucky, February 26, 1872. He 
was appointed from Kentucky to the Military Academy in June, 1892. 
He was made second lieutenant of the tenth cavalry in June, 1896. 
He was transferred to the seventh cavalry and made second lieutenant 
in 1897. He continued in this capacity until 1901, when he was made 
first lieutenant. He was made captain of the seventh cavalry. July 
16, 1903. He was detailed professor of military science and tactics 
in the University of Arkansas, January 31, 1905, which position he 
held for one year. 



Albert Homer Purdue, son of Samuel Leroy and Phoebe (Priest) 
Purdue, was born in Warrick County, Indiana, six miles east of the 
town of Newburg, March 29, 1861. His paternal grandparents 
emigrated from North Carolina to Tennessee and later from Tennessee 
to southern Indiana, where Samuel Leroy was born. His maternal 
grandfather was of Scotch- 
Irish and his maternal 
grandmother of Pennsyl- 
vania German descent. 

He worked on the farm 
until he was twenty years 
of age, at which time he 
entered the Indiana state 
normal school at T e r r e 
Haute, from which he grad- 
uated in 1886. In 1886-87 he 
was principal of the high 
school at Sullivan, Indiana, 
and in 1887-88 he was super- 
intendent of the public 
schools at West Plains, Mis- 
souri. The collegiate year 
of 1888-89 was spent as a 
student in Purdue Univer- 
sity. In the fall 1889, be- 
cause of poor health, he 

resigned the superintend- Albert Homer Purdue. 




510 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

ency of the public schools of Plainfield, Indiana, to accept the position 
of superintendent of building at the government Indian school, Albu- 
querque, New Mexico. After serving a few months in this capacity, 
he was made assistant superintendent of the school. He left this 
position to enter Stanford University in 1891 and was one of the 
first students on the ground before the opening of that institution. 
His object in going there was to pursue the subject of geology under 
Dr. J. C. Branner, who had been made head professor of geology. 
His time as a student at this institution was employed mainly in the 
study of geology and allied subjects. He received the degree B. A. 
in 1893, and during a portion of the following year remained at the 
university as a graduate student, but left the institution during the 
second semester to become a candidate before the Republican state 
convention of Indiana for nomination for state geologist, in which he 
was unsuccessful. 

In the year 1894-95 he was principal of the high school at Rens- 
salear, Indiana. While at Renssalear, his spare time was spent on the 
study of the glacial geology of northwestern Indiana. In the spring 
of 1895, he was awarded the senior fellowship in the department of 
geology, University of Chicago, and in the following June he was 
elected to the chair of geology in the University of Arkansas. 

In the summer of 1892, under the direction of Dr. J. C. Branner, 
then state geologist of Arkansas, Mr. Purdue worked as assistant 
geologist on the geological survey of Arkansas in the southwestern 
part of the State. In the summer of 1900 he was associated with Dr. 
Branner in the investigations of the zinc and lead deposits of northern 
Arkansas. Since 1901 his summers have been spent on the United 
States Geological Survey, and since 1903 the work of that bureau in 
Arkansas has been intrusted to his hands. 

By legislative act he was made ex-officio state geologist in 1907, 
which action was repeated in the general assembly of 1909. His first 
work as state geologist was on the slates of Arkansas, the report of 
which was issued in July, 1909. Besides this Professor Purdue is 
the author of about thirty Geological reports and magazine articles, 
mainly on geological subjects. He is a fellow of the Indiana Academy 
of Science ; of the American Association for the Advancement of 
Science ; of the Geological Society of America ; of the Geological 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



511 



Society of London ; and a member of the American Institute of Mining- 
Engineers and the National Geographical Society. He is secretary 
of the National Association of the State Mining- Schools. 

He was married first September 1st, 1887. to Bertha Lee Burdick 
of Indianapolis, Indiana, who died October 1st, 1888; second December 
22, 1898, to Ida Pace of Harrison, Arkansas. They have two children, 
Branner Pace Purdue, born March 1st, 1900; Richard Howell Purdue, 
born November 7th, 1901. 



Ida (Pace) Purdue was born near Harrison, Arkansas, January 
4, 1869. After receiving a common-school education she entered the 
University of Arkansas, from which she was graduated in 1888. She 
took graduate work in the University of Arkansas during the year 
1888-89. She then accepted a position in Union College at Oxford, 
Mississippi, 1890-91. After 
teaching here one year she 
then accepted a position in 
the Valley Seminary at 
Waynesboro. V^irginia. Dur- 
ing the year 1893-94 she 
taught in Central College at 
Lexington, Missouri. She 
took graduate work in the 
Cornell University during 
the year 1894-95, and the 
following year was elected 
associate professor of En- 
glish and modern languages 
in the University of Arkan- 
sas. She served in this 
capacity until 1898. During 
the summer of 1897 she took 
work in the University of 
Chicago. She was editor of 
the Eleusis of Chi Omega, 

1899-1904, and has served as Ida (Pace) Purdue. 




512 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



national president of Chi Omega fraternity since 1904. She was 
married to Professor A. H. Purdue, December 22, 1898. Of this union 
there have been born two children, Branner Pace and Richard Howell. 



George Dana Purinton was born October 1, 1857. He entered the 
West Virginia University, from which he was graduated in 1879 with 

the degree of B. A., and in 
1882 he received the degree 
of Master of Arts. He was 
graduated with the degree 
of Doctor of Medicine from 
the University of Missouri 
about 1892. He likewise 
received the degree of Ph. D. 
He began his career first as 
a teacher, at the early age of 
sixteen in a country school 
in Preston County, West 
Virginia. Subsequently he 
held the following positions : 
Principal of Georges Creek 
Academy, Pennsylvania, and 
of Tahlequah Seminary in 
Indian Territory; superin- 
tendent of schools in Pied- 
mont, West Virginia; pro- 
fessor of science, Broaddus 

George Dana Purinton. CollcgC, Clarksburg, WcSt 

Virginia ; vice-president and professor of science in Des Moines Col- 
lege, Des Moines, Iowa ; professor of chemistry and physics in Furman 
University, South Carolina ; professor of chemistry and physics in the 
University of Arkansas ; and professor of chemistry in the University 
of Missouri. Later he practiced medicine in St. Louis, where he died 
March, 1898. He was married to Miss Helen Fordyce and had two 
children, both of whom died before reaching the age of maturity. 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



513 



William Allen Ramsey, 

son of Simeon D. and Mary 
(Kilpatrick) Ramsey, was 
born at Hazelluirst, Missis- 
sippi, January 1, 1870. His 
father was a veteran of two 
wars, having- served in the 
war with Mexico under Gen- 
eral Taylor and in the Civil 
War with Forrest. He was 
a lawyer, and both before 
and after the war between 
the states held civil ofifices. 
Mr. Ramsey, the eldest 
of six children, received his 
elementary and secondary 
education in the private and 
public schools of his native 
town. In 1888 he entered 
Arkansas College at Bates- 
ville, from which he grad- 
uated as a Bachelor of 

Science in 1891. In 1907 his alma mater conferred on him the degree 
of Master of Arts. After graduation he returned to Mississippi and 
began the study of law under his father, but having been offered 
the principalship of the public school at Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, 
accepted and served one year. He served in the same capacity the 
following year at Sulphur Rock. In 1893 he succeeded to the super- 
intendency of schools at Augusta, Arkansas. In the summer of 1894 
he returned to Mississippi with the intention of entering upon the 
practice of law, but being elected principal of Jordan's Academy for 
Boys at Pine Blufif, he resumed teaching. He remained at the head 
of the academy until the fall of 1896, when he became professor of 
philosophy and pedagogy in Little Rock University, an attempt hav- 
ing been made that year to revive that institution under a new 
management. 




William Allen Ramsey. 



514 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

In 1897 he was elected superintendent of schools at Arkansas City 
and held that position until 1900, when he became Arkansas manager 
for the educational department of Woodward & Tiernan Printing 
Company of St. Louis. He resigned this position in 1902 to accept 
the principalship of the public school at Benton, Arkansas, where 
he remained until 1905, when he became principal of the preparatory 
department in the University of Arkansas. His work in this position 
has been systematic, reducing the per cent, of failures and of suspen- 
sions. He has also canvassed extensively during the summer months. 

He has belonged to the state militia of Arkansas and of Mississippi ; 
has served as county examiner of Woodruff and Desha Counties, and 
has conducted district and county normals for teachers in many 
sections of the State ; he was special enumerator in the southeastern 
district in 1900 and won the distinction of sending in one of the 
three best specimen reports of that year. 

He is a member of the Central Association of Mathematics and 
Science ; the Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma Association 
of Superintendents and Principals ; the Arkansas Historical Associa- 
tion ; the Southern Educational Association and the Arkansas State 
Teachers' Association. As a member of the mathematics and science 
section of the state association, he was chairman of the committee 
which drafted the plan for a "Four Years' Course in Mathematics for 
High Schools." 

His writings consist of addresses, editorials, and contributions to 
secular, educational and religious periodicals. He has from time to 
time done editorial and journalistic work. He was married January 
1, 1896, to Miss Leone Peel Galvan. Of this union two daughters 
have been born, Marian Adele (1897) and Henrietta Eugenia (1899). 



William A. Read, son of Samuel and Charlotte (Winston) Read, 
was born at Goodson, Virginia, November 17, 1869. He entered King 
College at Bristol, Tennessee, from which he received the B. A. 
in 1888. He then attended the University of Virginia, and later 
Gottingen and Heidelberg, Johns Hopkins and Grenoble. He received 
the Ph. D. from Heidelberg in 1897. After his graduation he accepted 
the position of assistant in the department of English in the University 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



515 



of Arkansas, 1899-1900. In 1900 he was made professor of English, 
which position he occupied until 1902. He then resigned his position 
in the University of Arkansas and accepted the chair of English 
in the Louisiana State University, where he has since resided. His 
most important publications are the following : Articles in the Journal 
of Germanic Philology; "^Modern Language Notes," Literaturblatt and 
Englische Studien. He w^as married to ^Miss Trula Franklin, April 4, 
1899. 



John Hugh Reynolds, son of Jesse AI. and Eliza (Grimes) 
Reynolds, w^as born at Enola, Faulkner County, Arkansas, January 3, 
1869. He was reared on the farm and received his elementary 
education in the common schools of his neighborhood. The year 
1886-87 was spent in Quitman College and the following year in 

teaching near West Point, 

in AVhite County. From 1888 
to 1893 he w-as in Hendrix 
College. taking the A. B. de- 
gree. \\'hile in college he 
was active in literary society 
work, was editor of the col- 
lege magazine, and took sev- 
eral ]^rizes, among them be- 
ing an intercollegiate ora- 
torical medal. For three 
years after graduation he 
was principal of Fourth \'al- 
ley high school at Rover, 
Arkansas, and during part of 
the time was county exam- 
iner of Yell County. He has 
also conducted a number of 
county institutes. 

Air. Reynolds took gradu- 
ate work in tlie L'niversity of ,ohn Hugh Reynolds. 




516 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Chicago by correspondence in 1895-96 and in residence in 1896-97, 
receiving' the A. M. degree. He has also done graduate work in Colum- 
bia University (1907). From 1897 to 1902 he filled the chair of history 
and political science at Hendrix College and was vice-president part of 
the time. Since 1902 he has filled the same chair in the University 
of Arkansas. In January, 1910, he was unanimously elected president 
of Hendrix College, but did not see his way clear to accept the 
position. He has been active in developing the accredited school 
system at the university and has taken an active interest in the 
general educational work of the State, having served as president 
of the Arkansas State Teachers' Association. He organized in 1903 
and has since been secretary of the Arkansas Historical Association.; 
he is the author of the laws of 1905 and 1907 creating temporary 
history commissions and of the law of 1909 creating the present 
permanent Arkansas History Commission. He has served as secretary 
of these commissions since their creation and has prepared all of their 
reports. 

Professor Reynolds is the author of "Makers of Arkansas History," 
of educational pamphlets, of the report of the rural school committee 
of the State Teachers' Association in 1905 ; has contributed to maga- 
zines, and "The South in the Building of the Nation ;" and is the 
editor of Volumes 1 and 2 of the publications of the Arkansas Histori- 
cal Association. He is a member of the American Historical 
Association, National Educational Association, Mississippi Valley 
Historical Association, American Archives Commisson (for Arkan- 
sas), and National Conference for Charities and Corrections 
(corresponding secretary for Arkansas). 

He married, June 27, 1895, Miss Margaret Harwood, Brookfield, 
Missouri. They have four children living, Ruth, George, Elizabeth 
and Margaret. 

Joachim Rheinhardt was born in Denmark, where his father was 
a college professor, teaching the classical languages. His mother 
wrote and spoke five or six modern languages. His home was 
frequently visited by distinguished Danes and foreigners who spoke 
many languages. This proved both helpful and stimulating to 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



517 



Joachim in acquiring foreign tongues and created in him a desire to 
visit other countries. Shortly after receiving his B. A. degree in 1877 
he visited England, Scotland, and the United States as a newspaper 
correspondent. Later he visited Germany and attended lectures in 
several of the universities. Returning to Denmark he studied 
languages, history, and philosophy in the University of Copenhagen. 
In 1889 he came to New York as correspondent for some Scandinavian 
papers. Here he met the late Professor Thomas Randolph Price of 
Columbia University, who urged him to enter the teaching profession 
and secured his appointment at the University of Virginia in 1894-95 
as professor in charge of the department of modern languages in place 
of the regular professor who was absent on leave. Since then he has 
taught in several schools and universities, including the University of 
Arkansas,, 1906-07. He has published many articles on linguistic, 
literary and musical subjects in such periodicals as the Independent, 
Sewanee Review and others. 



Giles Emmet Ripley was 

born in Adams County, Indi- 
ana, June 18, 1874. He re- 
ceived his education in the 
public schools of .Indiana, 
the normal school at Marion, 
Indiana, Purdue University, 
and at the University of Chi- 
cago. After his graduation 
from Purdue University in 
1899 he took charge of the 
department of science in the 
Eastern Indiana Normal 
University at Muncie, Indi- 
ana. At the end of the first 
year he resigned to take 
charge of the department of 
physics and chemistry in the 
high school at Racine, Wis- 
consin. After two years 




C.iiL;, 1^11, met Ripley. 



518 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

of service here he resigned to enter business at \A inchester, Indiana. 
After he had spent two years in business he decided to return to 
teaching". He then accepted the work in physics and chemistry at 
Marquette, Michigan. He remained there only one year, at the end 
of which he resigned to take charge of the department of physical 
science in the state normal school at Valley City, North Dakota. He 
remained here only three years, when he resigned to take charge of 
the department of physics in the University of Arkansas. He is a 
member of the Central Association of Science and Mathematics ; of 
the Indiana Academy of Science, and of the American Association 
for the Advancement of Science. His writings consist in the follow- 
ing: "Absorption of Water by Decorticated Stems," in the Proceedings 
of Indiana Academy of Science, 1898. He was married to Miss Louise 
Marsh in 1900. Of this union two sons and one daughter were born. 



O. F. Russell was a member of the board of visitors in 1877 
appointed by the governor to inspect the university. In June of that 
year he was elected principal of the preparatory department. At the 
time he resided at Clarksville. He served acceptably in this capacity 
until the fall of 1880, when he resigned on account of ill health. The 
resolution of the faculty passed at the time of his resignation said 
that the "University has lost one of its ablest professors, an earnest 
and most indefatigable worker and a teacher whose long experience 
a,nd thorough and successful work has made him prominent among 
those who have been shaping the course of study and establishing the 
standard of scholarship in the University." 



Edgar Finley Shannon, the son of James Butler and Lois 
(McCain) Shannon, was born near Millersburg, Kentucky, September 
19, 1874. In April, 1879, James Shannon died, leaving his wife with 
two small children, Edgar and another son, Thomas. With the 
determination to educate her children, Mrs. Shannon began teaching 
school. After teaching two years in Kentucky, she learned of a better 
opening for a school in ISIonticello, Arkansas, and removed there. 
It was at Monticello and Pine Bluff, Arkansas, that most of Mr. 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



519 



I 



Shannon's childhood w a s 
spent. When he was twelve 
years old his mother sent 
him back to Kentucky to live 
with relatives on a farm near 
Millersburg. From 1887 to 
1889 he attended the prepa- 
tory classes of Kentucky 
\\'esleyan College at \\'\\\- 
chester. In the fall of 1889 
h e w o n by competitive 
examination a scholarship 
from the Garth Fund of 
Bourbon County, and en- 
tered the freshman class of 
Central University, then 
located at Richmond, Ken- 
tucky, but since consoli- 
dated with Centre College 
and moved to Danville. This 
scholarship from the Garth 
Fund he held during the four years of his college course. His vaca- 
tions were spent at work on his uncle's farm in Bourbon County. He 
was graduated from Central University with the, degree of B. A. in 
June, 1893. He hoped after his graduation from college to begin the 
study of law, but it was necessary for him to earn the money to 
meet the expenses of the law course. Consequently the scholastic 
year of 1893-94 found him principal of the public school at Princeton. 
Arkansas. Contrary to his expectations this work proved exactly 
to his taste ; and dropping all thought of the law, he decided to make 
teaching his profession. 

In 1895 he was elected associate professor of ancient languages 
in the University of Arkansas. As the scholastic year there began 
in March after a winter vacation of three months. ^Ir. Shannon 
assumed his duties at that time and ser\ed until 1902. He was then 
made associate professor of English and modern languages. In 1906. 




Edgar Finley Shannon. 



520 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



at the resignation of the head of the department, Professor Carr, the 
department was divided, and Professor Shannon was made head of 
the department of English. He studied at the University of Chicago 
during the summer of 1897, spent the summer of 1898 in Germany and 
attended lectures at the University of Leipsic, studied in the Harvard 
summer school in 1902, 1903, and 1904, and in Columbia University 
during the summer of 1906. In 1909 he was granted leave of absence 
for two years from his position as professor of English in the univer- 
sity to pursue graduate studies in Harvard University. 

On December 28, 1904, Mr. Shannon was married to Mary Eleanor 
Duncan, daughter of Isaac W. Duncan, of Fayetteville, Arkansas. 
To them has been born one child, December 29, 1905, a son, who lived 
only three months. 



Albert K. Short was born in Roanoke, Denton County, Texas, May 

^ 5, 1878. He was reared 

on a stock farm in Wise 
County, Texas, and edu- 
cated in the public schools 
of the same county. He 
entered the Texas Agricul- 
tural and Mechanical Col- 
lege, from which he received 
the B. S. degree in 1900. He 
declined the position of 
farm-demonstration work in 
connection with the Texas 
agricultural experiment sta- 
tion to take up practical 
work in animal husbandry. 
He established a herd of 
pure-bred Hereford cattle in 
1902 which is still main- 
tained near Decatur, Texas. 
He was appointed assistant 
... , TT ct, . in animal husbandry and 

Albert K. Short. -^ 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



521 



pathology in the agricultural college of the University of Arkansas 
in 1907; adjunct professor of animal husbandry in June, 1908, and 
acting professor of animal husbandry in June, 1909. He is a member 
of the American Hereford Breeders' Association; also of the Texas 
Hereford Breeders' Association. He was married to Miss Middie 
Helm, of Rhome, Texas, May 29, 1901. Two daughters have been 
born to them. 



Frederic William Simonds was born in Charleston, now a part of 
Boston, Massachusetts, July 3, 1853. His early education was 
obtained in the old Bunker Hill school in his native town. His 
parents having removed to Richmond, Indiana, in 1864, his preparation 
for college was made in the schools of that city, where, in 1871, he 
was graduated from its recently established high school as valedic- 
torian of its first class. He then became, for a short time, assistant to 
the city engineer. That 
gentleman having been ap- 
pointed chief engineer of the 
Cincinnati, Richmond and 
Fort Wayne Railroad (now 
a part of the Grand Rapids 
and Indiana), he accompanied 
him on the survey of location 
as his chief assistant. About 
this time the fame of a newly 
founded university at Ithaca, 
New York, had reached the 
west, and as the autumn 
approached he withdrew from 
the survey, mainly at the 
solicitation of his mother, and 
began an active review of his 
studies preparatory to his en- 
trance upon a university 
course. In September, 1871, 
he formally matriculated at 

Corn el 1 as a member Frederic WiUiam Simonds. 




522 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

of the class of 1875. Here he came into contact with a band 
of young and enthusiastic scientific workers, many of whom 
have since attained commanding positions in the scientific and 
educational world. While an undergraduate he became greatly 
interested in the study of geology as presented by the late Professor 
Charles Fred Hartt, at that time a young man honored both at home 
and abroad for his exploration and research in Brazil. In his freshman 
year he was awarded the zoological prize for excellent work in the 
biological line and in his senior year he won the geological prize. In 
1875 he received the B. S. and the following year the M. S. With 
the autumn of 1875 came the appointment to the instructorship in 
geology and paleontology in his alma mater, Avhich he filled until 
his election, two years later, to the chair of geology, zoology, and 
botany in the University of North Carolina. Here he materially 
assisted in the revival of that ancient seat of learning, attracting 
to his lectures a large and enthusiastic body of students. While the 
range of his professorship was too large for any one man, unassisted, 
to cover, he gave courses not only in geology, mineralogy and 
zoology, but in botany and physiology as well, the latter in connection 
with the medical school. Four years were spent in this arduous 
work, during which he completed the required course of study and 
successfully passed the examinations for the doctor's degree at 
Syracuse University (1879). Overwork and a severe illness caused 
him to retire from his professorship in 1881. He then went to 
California, where he remained five years. For a part of that time he 
taught science in the San Jose high school and for a year and a half 
was its principal. He maintained, however, a close connection with 
his specialty, geology, by frequent visits to the state university. 
Returning to the east he was, in January, 1887, appointed lecturer on 
economic geology in Cornell University. The following June he was 
called to the professorship of biology and geology in the University 
of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Having been appointed assistant 
geologist of the geological survey of Arkansas, Washington County 
was assigned as his field of work. During the two years following 
Dr. Simonds was engaged, when his university labors would permit, 
in unraveling the lower carboniferous rocks of northwestern Arkansas. 
A carefully plotted map, with suitable texts, forms a part of Volume 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 523 

IV of the Annual Report of the State Geological Survey for 1888. He 
was next assigned to Benton County in the survey of which he was 
associated with Professor T. C. Hopkins. The geological investigation 
of this area and the completion of the map brought the work up to 
the Missouri border and extended the series of formations studied, in 
a descending order into the Silurian. In the meantime the vacant 
chair of geology in the University of Texas was offered to Professor 
Simonds and was accepted (1890), but work on the Benton County 
Survey continued during the following annual vacation. The position 
at Austin brought with it voluntary instruction in biology, which 
soon led to the establishment of an additional school in the university. 
This, however, remained nominally under the direction of the professor 
of geology for another year. About this time, in recognition of his 
services, the trustees of the University of Arkansas conferred upon 
him the degree of doctor of science. In 1893 Dr. Simonds visited 
Switzerland for the purpose of studying- glacial phenomena, and 
Germany for the purpose of obtaining some insight concerning the 
work and methods of the great universities. As a contributcn* to 
scientific journals he is well known. He is the author of "The 
Geography of Texas, Physical and Political," and of the "IMaur}'- 
Simonds Physical Geography." He is a member of the following 
societies : Original Fellow of the Geological Society of America ; a 
Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 
a Fellow of the Texas Academy of Science, and for the )'ear 1899-1900 
its president; member of the Sigma Xi Scientific Society, the Phi 
Beta Kappa Society and of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. In 1877 he 
married Norma Anna Wood of Syracuse, New York. Their living 
children are a daughter, Anna Wood, and a son, Andrew ^^'arren. 
Their elder son, Fred Hartt, died October 22, 1909. 



George Karr Spencer was born February 25, 1842, in New Sheffield, 
Pennsylvania. In 1855 he moved with his parents to Davenport. Iowa. 
During the summer of 1856 he worked in a saw-mill on the Rock 
Island Railway. He enrolled as a private in the volunteer service, 
company B, April 15, 1861, at Davenport, Iowa, and was mustered 
into United States service May 27, 1861. He was soon commissioned 



524 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

as first lieutenant September 
18, 1862, and as captain July 
24, 1863, and served until the 
end of the war, taking part 
in the campaigns of the Mis- 
sissippi Valley. He was ap- 
pointed second lieutenant of 
the 19th United States in- 
fantry August 17, 1867, pro- 
moted to first lieutenant June 
28, 1878, and captain Febru- 
ary 20, 1891. He was ad- 
vanced to the grade of major 
under provisions of the act of 
Congress approved April 23, 
1904. 

After entering the regular 
army he served in the Indian 
Territory, Kansas and Colo- 
rado, taking part in Indian 
George Karr Spencer. Campaigns, and at military 

posts in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Kentucky and Ohio. He was on 
duty at St. John's Military School, Salina, Kansas, in the years 
1891-93 and again in 1897-98. In 1900 he was detailed commandant 
and professor of military science at the University of Arkansas and 
reported for duty October 11 of that year, remaining there in charge 
of the military department until January, 1903, at which time he 
was relieved at his own request on account of ill health. He is not a 
graduate of any educational institution and did not have the advan- 
tages during his youth even of a liberal attendance at a public school, 
therefore his education was acquired by private tutorage and 
application to study as opportunity offered. 

He was married October 19, 1865, to Harriet Jane McCullough in 
Davenport, Iowa. They have five children living, four sons and a 
daughter, and one son dead. 




SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



525 



Alvin Arthur Steel, son of John and Hanna (Pearson) Steel, was 
born at Omaha, Nebraska, November 20, 1877. He received his early- 
education in the public schools of Nebraska and then entered the 
Omaha high school. After his high school education had been com- 
pleted he entered the state university at Lincoln, from which he was 
graduated in 1899 with the degree of B. S. in Civil Engineering. He then 
took the M. E. degree from Columbia University in 1900. He spent the 
summers of 1897 and 1898 studying details of mining and working 
in smelters at various places in Colorado and Nebraska. During the 
school year 1898-99 he was assistant in chemistry in the University 
of Nebraska. During the summer of 1899 he was assistant engineer 
of maintenance of way at the Omaha residence of the Burlington and 
Missouri River Railroad in Nebraska. September, 1899, was spent 
studying gold mining, milling and smelting and field geology in the 
Black Hills of South Dakota and coal mining and coking at Cambria, 
Wyoming. A part of the 
summer of 1900 was spent 
studying geology, iron and 
cement mining and engineer- 
ing operation in and near 
New York City. From Sep- 
tember, 1900, to November, 
1901, he was employed by 
Fernando Mining Company, 
Durango, serving a part of 
this time as assistant to the 
general manager and in 
charge of all the mining 
work. The rest of 1901 he 
spent in studying geology 
and mining in Durango, 
British Columbia, Mexico, 
and Arizona. The year 1902 
was spent in practical work 
at mining in Mexico, Ne- 
vada, and California. From 
September, 1902, to Decem- Aivin .-\rthur Steei. 




526 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

ber. 1902, he was assistant superintendent of the Pacific Consolidated 
Copper Company, in charge of the mine near Reno, and making expert 
reports upon mines at Wedikin, Nevada, and Bridgeport, California. 
From January, 1903, to September, 1904, he was mining geologist with 
the Engineering Company of America (New York). During this time 
he engaged in office work in Denver and New York and field work 
in Mexico and various parts of the United States. While thus 
employed he did considerable research into the design of gas turbines. 
From September, 1904, to January, 1905, he was assistant engineer 
of briquetting experiments, United States Geological Survey, in the 
fuel-testing plant at St Louis, having charge of all laboratory and 
practical work in briquetting. In February, 1905, he came to the 
University of Arkansas as associate professor of geology and mining. 
In June, 1909, he was made professor of mining. 

July and August, 1905, he was field assistant U. S. Geological 
Survey, working up geology and technology of barite in Missouri, 
Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, nickel and cobalt at Mine La 
Motte, [Missouri, and rutile in Virginia and fluorspar, in Kentucky. 
Studied mining at Flat River, Missouri, and Pocahontas, West Vir- 
ginia, on leave of absence. July and August, 1906, he was assistant 
geologist North Carolina Geological Survey, studying the condition of 
gold mining in North Carolina. September, 1906, he was assistant 
engineer examining the iron and coal properties of the Monterey 
Steel Company in various camps of northern Mexico. 

He is author of the following publications: "Earth Pressure 
Against Retaining Walls," Engineering News, October 19, 1899; 
"The Cananea Concentrator," Nebraska Blue Print, 1903; "Ore Depos- 
its of La Cananea," Engineering and Mining Journal, September 26, 
1903 ; ''An Improved Method of Framing Square Set Timber," Mining 
and Scientific Press, August 11, 1906; "Gold Mining in North Caro- 
lina," Economic Paper No. 14, North Carolina Geological Survey; 
"Crucible Assays," Mining and Scientific Press, June 12, 1909; 
"Geology, A'lining and Preparation of Barite in Washington County, 
]\Iissouri," Transactions American Institute Mining Engineers, 1909. 

He is a member of the honorary student organization, the Society 
of the Innocents of the University of Nebraska; honorary member 
of the scientific fraternitv of the Sigma Xi ; of the American Institute 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



527 



of Minin^;^ Engineers; the American Association for the Advance- 
ment of Science; and the Society for the Promotion of Engineering 
Education. He was married to Miss Ethel Olivia Kiefer, July 6, 1906. 



John Turner Stinson was JKjrn at Pierceton, Indiana, September 5, 
1865, but grew up on a farm in Montgomery County Iowa. He entered 
the Iowa Agricultural Col- 
lege, Ames. Iowa, from 
which he was graduated in 
1890 with the B. S. degree. 
He was appointed horticul- 
turist of the Arkansas agri- 
cultural experiment station, 
Fayetteville. Arkansas. De- 
cember, 1891, and later was 
appointed professor of horti- 
culture in the University of 
Arkansas. February 1 . 
1900. Mr. Stinson resigned 
as professor of horticulture 
and horticulturist of the 
agricultural experiment sta 
tion to become director of 
the Missouri state fruit ex- 
periment station at Moun- 
tain Grove, Missouri. The 
experiment work carried <\)n 

at thi- station attracted con- Jo^n Turner stinson. 

siderable attention in Missouri and north .Arkansas owing to the fact 
that the experiments for the prevention of bitter rot of apples were 
successful, and. as this disease caused great loss in the Southwest, 
the work done was recognized at once. 

While in charge of the experiment station at Mountain Grove, 
^Ir. Stinson conceived and inaugurated a new plan of reaching the 
farmers with information from experiment stations. A railway car 
was secured and fitted up with all kinds of spraying pumi)- and 




528 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

Spraying" materials, also microscopes and insect collections. This car 
was taken to the different towns in south Missouri along the lines 
of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad and public demonstrations 
were given. This at once became a popular plan of reaching fruit 
growers and farmers and was taken up by other institutions over 
the country, the result being the seed-corn specials in Iowa and 
elsewhere, poultry trains and other novel and interesting methods 
of reaching a large number of people by the use of special instruction 
trains. Mr. Stinson was elected superintendent of pomology in the 
department of horticulture at the World's Fair, St. Louis, and 
resigned the position at the Missouri state fruit experiment station 
February 1, 1903. The idea was advanced by him, in arguing the 
great value of apples as a general diet, that the liberal use of apples 
would prove a cure for the drink habit. This idea was taken up 
at once by the associated press of the country and discussed generally 
in the leading newspapers of the United States and by physicians, 
not only in this country, but in Europe. While some of the news- 
papers ridiculed Mr. Stinson's statements, others took the matter 
up in a serious and thoughtful manner and the records from 
physicians, almost unanimously, showed that in general practice a 
man who is a fruit eater, and especially an apple eater, does not use 
intoxicants to excess. Mr. Stinson was agricultural agent of the 
Missouri Pacific Railway during 1906 and 1907 and did considerable 
work in Arkansas during this time. He was elected secretary of the 
Missouri State Fair, January 1, 1908. Mr. Stinson is a member of the 
Kappa Alpha fraternity of Fayetteville, Arkansas. He married Miss 
Robbie Trott of Fayetteville, Arkansas, August 15, 1894. The}^ have 
four children. 



♦ 



William P. Stone was born in Arkansas, December 30, 1860. He 
became a cadet in the military academy July 1, 1878, and continued 
therein until July 25, 1879. He again entered in July, 1880, and in 
1883 was made second lieutenant of the second artillery. He entered 
the artillery school from which he was graduated in 1886. He was 
promoted to the first lieutenancy of the fifth artillery February 20, 
1891. He was transferred to the fourth artillery in May, and in 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



02!* 



March, 1898, was transferred to the seventh artillery. He was detailed 
professor of military science and tactics in the University of Arkansas 
February 28, 1898. He was promoted to a captaincy in Ajjril, 1899, 
and in September, 1906, he was made major oi the artillery corps. 



David Yancey Thomas, son of James Fuller and Eliza (RatlifF) 
Thomas, was born in Fulton County, Kentucky, January 19, 1872. 
His ancestors were of Scotch-Irish, English and German descent and 
fought in the Revolution and subsequent wars. His maternal grand- 
uKjther. who died in 1896, was one of the few pensioners of the war 
of 1812 at the time of her death. He began his education in the public 
schools of Kentuck}-. After two years spent in preparatory work in an 
institution called Marvin College at Clinton, Kentucky, he entered 
Emr)ry College ( Gerjrgiaj and was graduated with the 15. A. degree 
in 1894. He took several 
prizes while a student, was 
editor of the college maga- 
zine and stood second in a 
class of thirty-five. On com- 
mencement day he delivered 
the salutatory in Greek. An 
essay with which he won a 
prize was afterwards pub- 
lished in the "'^lethodist 
Review"' ( Xashville ) under 
the title, "The Origin of the 
English Drama." 

After graduation he 
taught two years in the jmb- 
lic schools of Alabama ( Pe- 
rotej and Georgia (Cole- 
man). He was then awarded 
a scholastic fellowship in 
N'anderbilt University, [ 
which he held two years. ,,a,.j^ y^„,,j. Thomas. 




530 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

In 1898 he received the M. A. from Vanderbilt. On leaving there 
he accepted the chair of Latin and Greek in Hendrix College, w^hich 
he held three years. While at Hendrix he finally decided to specialize 
in history and political science and spent the summers at the University 
of Chicago studying these subjects. In 1901 he was awarded a 
university fellowship in history at Columbia University. After spend- 
ing a year there he passed all examinations for the Ph. D., but, 
his thesis not being quite ready for publication, the degree was not 
formally awarded until the following year (1903). In September, 
1902, he returned to Hendrix College to accept the chair of history and 
political science, which he held three years. He then accepted a similar 
position in the University of Florida and remained there two years. 
This position he gave up to become associate professor of history 
and political science in the University of Arkansas. 

He is the author of "A History of Military Government in Newl}^ 
Acquired Territory of the United States" (New York, 1904), and of 
numerous magazine articles on literary, educational, historical, and 
political subjects. Among the more important of these are the 
following: "The South and Her History," Review of Reviews, Octo- 
ber, 1902 ; "The Development of the Executive Prerogative," South 
Atlantic Quarterly, July and October, 1905 ; "Life, Liberty and the 
Pursuit of Happiness in Modern Society," Ibid, October, 1907; "The 
Impending Crisis Fifty Years After," Uncle Remus Magazine, 
November, 1907; "Florida Finance in the Civil War," Yale Review, 
November, 1907; "A Forgotten Work of Victor Hugo," Methodist 
Review, January, 1908; "The Law of Impeachment in the United 
States," American Political Science Review, May, 1908 ; "A Year of 
Bench Labor Law," Political Science Quarterly, March, 1909; "The 
Need of Agricultural Education in the South," Annals of the Acad- 
emy of Social and Political Science, January, 1910. While in Florida 
he prepared reports on the Florida archives for the Annual Report of 
the American Historical Association ; also, he was employed by the 
Carnegie Institution to write a history of banking in Florida and a 
history of the free negro in Florida before 1865. He contributed to 
"The South in the Building of the Nation." He is a member of the 
American Historical Association and of the Arkansas Historical Asso- 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



531 



ciation. June 21, 1905, he married Miss Elizabeth Janney, of Conway, 
Arkansas. Of this union two children have been born, Mary Eliza- 
beth and Albert Janney. 



Burr Walter Torreyson, son of James William and Sarah (Stone) 
Torreyson, was born at Hillsborough, Loudoun County, Virginia, 
December 10, 1855. He was educated at Hillsborough Academy, the 
National normal school at Lebanon, Ohio, and at the Michigan state 
normal college. Since his graduation he has held the following 
positions : Teacher in the common schools of Virginia, three years ; 
teacher in the common schools of Audrain County, Missouri, three 
years ; principal of the high school at Mexico, Missouri, and county 
commissioner of schools of Audrain County, seven years ; principal 
Fort Smith high school, nine years ; superintendent of Fort Smith 
schools, three years ; super- 
intendent of Little Rock 
schools, four years ; profes- 
sor of secondary education 
in University of Arkansas 
since 1909. Professor Tor- 
reyson has been an untiring 
worker in the interest of 
public education. He has 
been actively connected for 
many years with the Arkan- 
sas State Teachers' Associa- 
tion, having served in vari- 
ous official capacities, in- 
cluding the presidency. He 
was married to Miss Alice 
Bulgin, June 30, 1899. One 
daughter was born to them. 



Henry Doughty Tovey, 
son of Dr. P. E. and Kate 
Lola Tovey, was born at 




Henry Doughty Tovey. 



532 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

New Boston, Illinois, January 26, 1884. When he was five years 
old his parents moved to Galesburg, Illinois, where his father has 
practiced medicine ever since. After graduating from the high 
school at Galesburg he entered Knox Conservatory of Music, from 
which he graduated in 1904. He then studied in Chicago with 
Miss Mary Wood Chase, 1904-05. He traveled with the Columbia 
Concert Company during the seasons of 1902-05. He taught privately 
in Galesburg and Canton, Illinois, 1900-05. In 1905 he went to 
Ouachita College at Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where he taught three 
years, making frequent short concert trips throughout the State. 
In 1908 he was elected director of music in the University of Arkansas. 
He was appointed honorary vice-president of the State Musical Asso- 
ciation in 1908; and in June, 1909, he was elected a colleague of the 
American Guild of Organists. He is a member of the Episcopal 
Church, and of the Order of Elks. 



George William Vincenheller was born in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, 
April 30, 1850. He moved to Arkansas in October, 1887. Soon after 
coming here he became interested in fruit-growing and his interest has 
continued to the present. He has also taken an active part in politics. 
For six years he was commissioner of mines, manufactures and 
agriculture. He was pomologist at the Arkansas experiment station 
two years and was also director of the station for five years. During 
his administration as director the experiment station was brought 
prominently before the people of the State, its staff enlarged, and 
two new buildings (agriculture and dairy) were added at Eayetteville 
and some small buildings at branch stations. It was also during Col. 
Vincenheller's term of office that the prairie section of Arkansas was 
proven by experiments at a sub-station to be adapted to rice-growing. 
Since his retirement from office in 1908 he has been occupied in looking 
after his fruit farms and in selling orchard supplies. He is married 
and has children. 

Ernest Walker, son of Reverend Francis and Elizabeth (Graham) 
Walker, was born at Browntown, Jackson County, Indiana, November 
19, 1862. The Fryes, Swans and Walkers of early American days 
were his ancestors. His early education was obtained in the public 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



533 



schools of Indiana. He then 
entered De Pauw University 
and remained there three 
years. After leavini^;" De Pauw 
he took a course in l:)otany 
at Harvard University in 
1893. He then entered Cor- 
nell University in 1894 and 
received the degree of B. S. 
A. the same year. While a 
student at De Pauw Univer- 
sity he was assistant instruc- 
tor in botanv and horticul- 
ture. He began work in a 
nursery and greenhouse when 
he was thirteen years old 
and was afterward associated 
with his father and brother a 
number of years in this busi- 
ness. During- this period he 
was a diligent and close stu- 
dent of botany and biological E"""^^^' Walker, 
sciences and became an expert in everything appertaining to the 
g-reenhouse and nursery business. He was instructor in horticulture 
in Cornell University, 1896-97. 

In the fall of 1897 he was elected entomologist and assistant 
professor of horticulture in Clemson College, South Carolina. During 
his service at Clemson College he had charge of the experiment 
station of South Carolina, ^\'hile there he performed a valuable 
service for rice planters by discovering a remedy for rice smut, 
which resulted in practically exterminating that disease in South 
Carolina. In 1899-1900 he was professor of entomology in the college 
of agriculture and entomologist at the South Carolina experiment 
station. In 1900 he was elected to the chair of horticulture in the 
University of x\rkansas, which position he now holds. From 1900 to 
1905 he was entomologist at the Arkansas experiment station. In 
1904 he was a member of the national jury of awards in pomology 




534 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

at the World's Fair in St. Louis. He arranged the landscape work 
around the Arkansas state building. During his services for the 
University of Arkansas he has done much for the development of 
horticulture in the State. He is a member of the Society for Horti- 
cultural Science of the Indiana Academy. He was secretary of the 
Indiana Horticultural Society; secretary of the Arkansas State Horti- 
cultural Society; vice-president of the American Breeders' Association, 
1896 ; was chairman for the Arkansas General Fruit Committee of the 
American Pomological Society, 1905 ; and was president of the Ameri- 
can Pomological Societ}^ in 1899-1905. 

He is the author of a number of experiment station bulletins ; 
and with L. H. Bailey and others is joint author of "Garden 
Making." He contributed to the "Encyclopedia of American Horti- 
culture," edited by L. H. Bailey, and also assisted in the preparation 
of the "Encyclopedia of American Agriculture." He has also made 
a number of addresses on subjects relating to horticulture and natural 
science, some of which have been published : "The Autosporadic Seeds 
of Oxalis Stricta," Philadelphia Academy Science, 1893 ; "Some Factors 
in the Distribution of Gleditsia Triacanthos and Other Forest Trees," 
Indiana Academy Science, 1894; "How Plants Use Spines and 
Prickles," Indiana Horticultural Society, 1894; "Flowers in the Home," 
Indiana Horticultural Society, 1894; "Insect Friends," Arkansas 
Horticultural Society, 1903; "Why Apple Trees Fail," Ibid., 1902; 
"The Outlook for Apple Growing in the Ozarks," Ibid., 1909; 
"Science Applied to Orcharding," Ibid., 1908; "Story of the Rejuvena- 
tion of an Old Apple Orchard," Fruit Grower, St. Joseph, Mo., 
February, 1908; "Report on Arkansas Pomology" as state chairman 
General Fruit Committee, American Pomological Society, 1909; 
"Charles Darwin," address delivered at University of Arkansas, Feb- 
ruary 9, 1909, at exercises in honor of Lincoln, Darwin and other 
great men born in 1809. 

He was married to Miss Mary Stanley June 20, 1899. Of this 
union three children have been born : Marion Newman, Elbert Lewis 
and Ernestine Ayres. 

Olin D. Wannamaker, son of Francis Marion and Eleanor 
Margaret Wannamaker, was born at St. Matthews, South Carolina, 
July 16, 1875. After receiving the ordinary common-school education 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



535 



at his home town, he en- 
tered Wofford College, Spar- 
tanburg, South Carolina, in 
1892, and graduated in 1896 
with the degree of A. B. He 
became principal of the St. 
Matthews graded school, St. 
Matthews, South Carolina, 
and held this position for 
two years, 1896 to 1898. A 
scholarship was awarded 
him for post-graduate study 
at Vanderbilt University, for 
1898-99, and renewed for 
1899-1900. He specialized 
in English, but took two 
years of graduate Greek 
under Professor H. C. Tol- 
man and one year of ad- 
vanced undergraduate and 
one )'ear of graduate Latin 
under Professor William PI. oiin d. Wannamaker. 

Kirk. His English courses were under the late Professor Baskerville 
for the first year and under Professor William Jones for the second. 
In June, 1900, he received the degree of M. A. He composed, upon 
request, an ode for the celebration of the quarter centennial of Vander- 
bilt University. 

During the year 1900-01 he occupied the chair of English at 
WofTord College in the absence on leave of the professor of English. 
The year 1901-02 he spent in graduate study at Harvard, pursuing 
courses in English and Greek. He studied under Professors Kittredge, 
Gardiner, Gulick, Neilson, and Robinson, and in June, 1902, received 
the degree of M. A. Immediately after taking the M. A. degree at 
Harvard Mr. Wannamaker accepted the position of professor of 
English in the Canton Christian College, of Canton, China. This is 
an undenominational American institution for the education of 
Chinese young men. He occupied the position till April, 1908, when 




536 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

he returned to America. During 1905-06 and a part of 1907-08 he 
was acting- president of the college. In 1904 he made a visit to 
Manila to study the American school system of the city, and in 1905 
he visited a number of American institutions in central China, and 
read a paper at the triennial conference of the Educational Associa- 
tion of China, meeting in Shanghai, May, 1905, on the "Teaching of 
Elementary English to Chinese Students." During 1908-09 Mr. 
AA/'annamaker was associate professor of English at the Woman's 
College of Baltimore. He pursued a seminary course in middle 
English under Professor J. W. Bright at the Johns Hopkins Univer- 
sity. He resigned the position at the Woman's College to accept the 
position of acting professor of English at the University of Arkansas 
for the two years 1909-11. Mr. Wannamaker read the poem at the 
annual meeting of the alumni of Vanderbilt University in June, 1910. 
On February 7, 1907, he married Miss Katharine Hume, daughter 
of Reverend and Mrs. Edward S. Hume, who for many years were 
enoao-ed in educational work in India. 



Jay Manuel Whitham, son of John and Caroline (Rowe) Wliitham, 
was born in Warren, Illinois, August 24, 1858. He graduated in 
marine engineering and naval architecture from the United States 
Naval Academy in 1881. After his graduation he was attached to 
naval vessels in 1881-83. In 1883 he completed the six years' course 
at the United States Naval Academy. He resigned his commission 
in the navy in February, 1886, having been sent to the University of 
Arkansas as commandant in 1885. He held this position until 1887. 
He received the M. A. from St. John's College in 1885 and the C. E. 
and M. E. degrees from the University of Arkansas in 1891. He 
established the courses in civil and mechanical engineering at the 
university and held the combined chair from 1885 to 1891. The first 
two classes in engineering graduated during his administration. Since 
leaving the University of Arkansas in 1891 he has been engaged in 
the practice of steam and hydraulic engineering with headquarters 
in Philadelphia. He is author of "Steam Engine Design" (1889) and 
"Constructive Steam Engineering" (1891). In addition to these he 
has contributed many engineering papers to technical journals. He 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



537 



is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers ; 
American Society of Naval Engineers ; American Society of Marine 
Engineers and Naval Archi- 
tects ; and the New England 
A\'ater Works Association. He 
was married to Miss Rebekah 
Emmet. July 25, 1883. Two 
sons and two daughters were 
born to them: D r. j a y 
Deshiell and Dr. Lloyd Bank- 
son A\niitham. Eleanor Ho- 
massel and Margaret Vaulx 
AMiitham. 




Richard Henry Willis, Jr. 



Richard Henry Willis, Jr., 

was born in Orange County, 

Virginia, August 12, 1849. He 

was the son of Richard Henry 

and Mary Nalle Willis, and 

came of excellent family on 

both his father's and mother's 

side. On his mother's side 

he was a great-nephew of 

Governor James Barbour and of Judge Philip Pendleton Uarbour of 

the United States Supreme Court. 

At an early age he showed an unusual aptitude for learning and 
made good progress in his studies while yet a small lad under 
instruction in his father's home. At the age of twelve or thirteen, 
near the beginning of the Civil War he became an inmate of the home 
of his uncle by marriage, Colonel Garrett Scott of Orange County, 
and there passed his studies in a home school kept by Miss Nelly B. 
Scott and later by Mr. Philip H. Scott, a graduate of the University of 
Virginia. Here he laid the foundation for that solid and accurate 
scholarship to which he later attained. For one session (1886) he 
attended the Locust Dale Academy in Madison County, at that time 
kept by Andrew J. Goodwin. He was unable, under the pressure of 



538 HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 

narrow fortune, to attend the university until after he had saved 
enough money, while teaching school in Missouri. At the University 
of Virginia he distinguished himself, winning the confidence and 
esteem of the students and professors, particularly of Dr. Basil L. 
Gildersleeve of the chair of Greek, with whom he kept up correspond- 
ence until his death. After leaving the university he taught at 
various dates in Eatonton, Georgia, The Dalles, Oregon, Anniston, 
Alabama, and was co-principal of the Norwood high school in Nelson 
County, Virginia. In all these positions he exhibited the gifts of the 
born teacher and left his impress on many of the rising generation 
who have since attained to distinction in the various callings of life. 

In 1885 he was called to the chair of ancient languages in the 
University of Arkansas, which he filled with success for several years 
and then after an interval of a year or so was recalled to the same 
university to fill the chair of English and modern languages. He held 
this position until 1898. Thrice he went abroad to widen his views 
and deepen his knowledge, first in 1873, then in 1885, and again in 
1898. Various universities conferred on him degrees. B. A., M. A., 
and Ph. D. were given him by the University of Virginia, Illinois 
Wesleyan, Willamette University and Princeton University. Dr. 
Willis was one of the leaders in organizing the university extension 
course at the University of Arkansas. He also, with the assistance of 
his cousin, Mr. Charles Willis, wrote a "History of the Willis Family." 

In 1887 he was married to Miss Elizabeth May Hall, a degree 
graduate of Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, who had been 
director of the arts and crafts department in the Arkansas Industrial 
University for the two years previous to their marriage. Two children 
were born to them, Richard Lee in 1893 and Katharine Murat in 
1896, both being born in Fayetteville. In 1898 he was asked to take 
the presidency of a newly organized church school, the Chatham 
Episcopal Institute at Chatham, Virginia. The institute was growing 
rapidly under his superior management, when he was suddenly 
stricken with pneumonia, and after a brief illness passed to the higher 
life January 1, 1900. 

He was thoroughly devoted to his profession and was a conscien- 
tious teacher. Always the refined gentleman, his life and character 



SKETCHES OF TRUSTEES AND FACULTY. 



539 



will ever be remembered as one of true worth and value, and his patient 
and endurina: kindness to all mankind a most valuable lesson to manv. 



Birton Neill Wilson, sun 

of Irvin and Lucy (Mooney) 
Wilson, was born November 
16, 1874, in Philadelphia, 
New York. His early edu- 
cation was received in the 
public schools of New York 
City and of Atlanta, 
Georgia. He was a student 
at West End Academy at 
Atlanta, after which he en- 
tered the Georgia School of 
Technolog-y. He graduated 
in 1896 with the degrees of 
B. Sc, M. E. In the fall of 
1896 he entered the Univer- 
sity of Arkansas as instruc- 
tor in the mechanical engi- 
n e e r i n g department and 
served successively as in- 
structor and adjunct pro- 
fessor for a number of years. 
In June, 1903, he was made full professor of mechanical engineering, 
which position he now holds. During a number of years he was 
superintendent of the grounds and buildings of the university. He 
attended the summer sessions of the University of Michigan and in 
June, 1908, received the M. E. degree from this institution. He has 
had practical experience as pattern maker and as sales agent for 
dififerent companies. He is a member of the American Society of 
Mechanical Engineers and also the Society for the Promotion of 
Engineering Education. On December 28, 1898, he was married to 
Miss Hallie Barlow of Eranklin, Kentucky. Two daughters, Frances 
Lucille, and Katherine Neill, were born of this union. 




Birton Neill Wilson. 



540 



APPENDIX. 



TABLE I. 

Showing^ the number of male and female students of collegiate grade 
in the university each year since 1872. Short course and conservatory 
students not included. 



Year. 


Males. 


Females. 


Total. 


1872 


4 


6 


10 


1873 


19 


12 


31 


1874 


60 


20 


80 


1875 


87 


50 


137 


1876 


86 


Z^ 


118 


1877 


74 


27 


lOI 


1878 


68 


28 


96 


1879 . 


87 


32 


119 


1880 


122 


30 


152 


1 88 1 


lOI 


19 


120 


1882 


72 


15 


87 


1883 


54 


^Z 


77 


1884 


66 


17 


83 


1885 


52 


15 


67 


1886 


47 


21 


68 


1887 


62 


15 


77 


1888 


65 


20 


85 


1889 


67 


20 


87 


1890 


87 


26 


113 


1891 


89 


26 


115 


1892 


121 


47 


168 


1893 


127 


57 


184 


1894 


150 


67 


217 


1895 


146 


70 


216 


1896 


186 


7Z 


259 


1897 








1898 


147 


53 


210 


1899 


108 


46 


254 


1900 


188 


35 


223 


1901 


193 


62 


255 


. igo2 


191 


43 


234 


1903 


153 


47 


200 


1904 


327 


43 


370 


^905 


329 


52 


381 


1906 


405 


92 


497 


1907 


409 


121 


530 


igo8 


455 


137 


592 


1909 


357 


126 


483 



APPENDIX. 



541 



TABLE II. 



Showing: the number of students who entered the Freshman class 
from the preparatory department each year since 1873. 



No. Freshmen entering each 
year from preparatory department. 



Not from preparatory 
department. 



Total. 



1873 


9 


7 


16 


1874 


10 


25 


35 


1875 


40 


30 


70 


1876 


38 


17 


55 


1877 


26 


29 


55 


1878 


24 


22 


46 


1879 


25 


42 


67 


1880 


24 


65 


89 


I88I 


22 


26 


48 


1882 


26 


8 


34 


1883 


30 


12 


42 


1884 


28 


20 


48 


1885 


19 


14 


33 


1886 


18 


15 


33 


1887 


31 


12 


43 


1888 


17 


20 


37 


i88g 


36 


13 


49 


i8go 


39 


19 


S8 


1891 


37 


2Z 


60 


1892 


61 


37 


98 


1893 


63 


33 


96 


1894 


51 


34 


8S 


1895 




. . 


. . . 


1896 


55 


68 


123 


1897 


49 


38 


87 


1898 


41 


62 


103 


1899 


39 


51 


90 


1900 


44 


54 


98 


1901 


45 


44 


89 


1902 


49 


36 


85 


1903 


45 


45 


90 


1904 


63 


76 


139 


1 90s 


57 


74 


131 


1906 


67 


102 


169 


1907 


94 


132 


226 


1908 


92 


161 


253 


1909 


63 


181 


244 



542 



APPENDIX. 



TABLE III. 

Showing: the number in each senior class since 1876 and the number 
who came up from the preparatory department. 



Year. 


Total No. in senior class. 


No. in senior class that came up 
from preparatory department. 


1876 


9 




2 




1877 


9 




I 




1878 


S 




I 




1879 


8 









1880 


10 




3 




1881 


7 




3 




1882 


IS 




3 




1883 


7 




5 




1884 


10 




6 




188=^ 


6 




4 




1886 


5 




3 




a 1887 










1888 


13 




I 




1889 


7 


2 gh 


5 


I g: 


1890 


7 




2 




1 89 1 


8 


5 S 


4 


I §: 


1892 


12 


5 §: 


7 


I S 


1893 


14 


3 §: 


7 


3 g; 


1894 


16 


11 §: 


2 


8g: 


1895 


23 


14 s 


12 




1896 


15 




S 




1897 


18 








1898 


15 


3S 


5 




1899 


13 




2 




1900 


24 




3 




1901 


28 




5 




1902 


24 


4 S 


9 


I s 


1903 


28 


2 g 


9 




1904 


35 


3 §: 


17 


2 g- 


1905 


34 


7 §: 


18 




1906 


50 


13 §: 


26 


2 s 


1907 


58 


68: 


26 


2S 


1908 


58 


3 s 


22 




Total, 


672 




243 
38.37 


% 



a No graduating class. 

b The number before the letter "g" indicates the number of graduate students. 



APPENDIX. 



543 



TABLE IV. 



Showing the number of undergraduate degfrees conferred each year 
since 1876. 



Year. 


B.A. 


B.S. 


Miscel. 


B.S.A. 


B.E.E. 

1 


B.M.E. 


B.C.E. 


B. Cb. E. 


Males 


'fmalei 


a 1875 
1876 

b 1877 
1878 

1879 
1880 


















4 

.S 
8 

3 
7 
7 
4 

'5 
5 

10 
6 
2 


6 


7 
4 
5 
8 

5 
6 

13 
5 
8 
2 

5 




2 Ji.L.L. 












4 


3 li.L.L. 












2 














2 
















I 




S B.L.L. 












3 


188 1 














2 


1882 
1883 

1884 

b 1885 

1886 


3 


2B.L.L. 
2 B.L.L. 















2 














T 


3 B L L. 



























-? 


c 1887 
1888 


















7 
2 

4 

4 
7 
4 
9 


3 
2 


I B.L.L. 








4 
2 
I 
3 
3 
4 
3 




1 1 

4 
6 
8 
9 
13 
14 


2 


1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 

1893 

1894 

d 1895 

1896 

1897 
1898 

1899 
1900 
1 90 1 
1902 
1903 
1904 

1905 
1906 
1907 
1908 
1909 










3 










I 













I 

5 

T 








3 






I 
2 


2 






2 








15 
8 

14 
10 
16 
18 
10 
13 
19 
14 
19 
26 

36 
43 


6 
3 






2 

2 




2 

I 
I 
I 
I 
4 
4 
5 
3 
6 

9 
12 

14 
7 


iB.m.E. 


•4 
14 
12 
II 

19 
26 

19 
23 

25 
30 
49 
45 
48 

' 47 


T f 






3 






3 


I 
5 
5 
5 
3 
I 
8 
10 
9 
5 
4 






I 
I 

4 
2 

3 

4 
2 
2 

4 
2 

3 


3 

2 

I 

4 
I 
I 

T 


7. 






5 


I B. I'h. 
3 B. Ph. 
5 B. Ph. 
I B. Music. 




2 

5 
4 
6 


2 B. Music. 

1 B.S.C. . . 

2 B. Music. . 
2 B. Music. 


3 

1 B. S. C. 

4 


5 
7 

15 
4 

15 



a No degrees conferred previous to 1876. 

b 1877 the degrees of three listed with graduates not given; 188s one not given. 

c No graduates. . > • o 

d Owing to the change from winter to summer vacation there was no graduating class in 1895- 



544 



APPENDIX. 



TABLE V. 

Showing- by years the number of candidates for the several degrees 
in the college department. The figures do not include special and short- 
course students. The totals do not include the students in law and 
medicine. 



Year. 


1872 


1^-12, 


73-74 


74-75 


75-76 


76-77 


77-78 


Graduate 
















A. B 


10 


16 


36 


56 


55 


51 


96 


B. S 


B. Ch. E 
















B. M. E 
















B. C. E 






16 


17 


4 






B. E. E 










Agriculture 












46 




Music 














L. I 




15 


20 


^8 


51 






Total TO 


31 ! 81 131 1 TIO 


97 96 



Year. 


78-79 


79-80 


80-81 


81-82 


82-83 


83-84 


84-85 


Graduate : 












-a 

'55 
Q 





A. B 

B. S 


143 


142 
6 


114 
I 


84 


7Z 




B. Ch. E 




<\j 


B. M. E 












c 


B. C. E 


5 


5 


5 


4 


4 


"en 


B. E. E 


Q 


Agriculture 










I 





Music 












:? 


L. I 














Pharmacy 















Total. 



148 I 153 I 120 



7-7 \ 



APPENDIX. 



545 



TABLE \". — Continued. 



Year 



85-86 



-87 87-8S 



j-90 



90-91 91-9^ 



92-93 93-94 



Graduate. . . 

A. B 

B. S 

B. Ch. E... 
B. M.E.... 
B. C. E.... 
B. E. E.... 
Agriculture. 

Music 

L. I 



29 

15 



2 
29 



3 

27 

9 



29 
16 



3 

21 



2 

25 

7 



6 

34 
22 



5 
33 
30 



5 
59 
41 



2 
25 



6 
23 



3 
26 



3 

45 
12 



22 



3 
38 



2 

68 
38 



9 
19 

7 



21 

15 



II 

87 
28 



9 
10 

23 
3 



14 



Total 


1 113 1 104 126 ' 157 1 222 


179 


185 


Law 












i 




36 

72 


Medicine 






76 


113 138 


74 









Year. 1 95-96 


1 
96-97 97-98 98-99 


99-00 


00-01 


01-02 


02-03 



Graduate . . 

A. B 

B. S 

B. Ch. E . . 
B. M.E... 
B. C. E ... 
B. E. E.... 
Ag"riculture . 

Music 

L. I 

Pharmacv. . 



14 
120 

31 



5 

13 
17 



38 
26 
10 



115 
22 



9 

10 

8 

I 

18 

15 



3 

140 

24 



5 
8 

14 



6 



I 

104 

20 



7 
14 
20 

7 
48 
14 



I 

153 

33 



1 1 
28 

25 



6 
98 

24 



9 
31 

17 



64 
19 



54 
18 



4 
93 
13 



7 
37 
10 

I 

77 



2 
80 
17 



7 
51 
21 

64 



Total 


274 


200 


22Z 


235 


334 


247 


240 


250 


Law 

Medicine 


22 

86 


22 
9i 


26 
102 


108 


14 
123 


21 
240 


35 
220 


39 

236 







546 



APPENDIX. 



TABLE V. — Concluded. 



Year. 


03-04 


04-05 


05-06 


06-07 


07-08 


08-09 


Graduate 

A. B 


3 

115 
35 


7 

III 

36 

7 
15 
68 

37 
10 

19 

17 
I 


13 
163 
30 
6 
14 
67 
42 

13 
26 

14 
4 


5 

196 

36 

9 
18 

83 
39 
19 
40 

42 

5 


3 
269 

9 

12 

17 
82 
58 

13 

26 

62 

6 


6 
280 


B. S 


J 


B. Ch. E 


1 1 


B. M. E 

B. C. E 

B. E. E. 

Agriculture 


10 

72 
35 


21 
60 
63 
13 
38 
83 
9 


Music 

L. I 

B. Mi.E 


24 
10 

4 


Total 1 308 


328 


392 


489 


547 


58s 


Law 


25 

213 


42 
212 


46 

171 


46 

240 


55 
175 


65 
171 


Medicine 





APPENDIX. 



547 




INDEX. 



Academics, early, Kjf. 

Accredited Schools, 189. 

Acts of Arkansas: 

Concerning public schools, I3ff; con- 
cerning seminary grant, 23ff ; accepting 
land grant of 1862, 43ff ; organizing the 
University, 48fif; concerning location, 
495f; reorganization of the faculty, I3if. 

Adams, C. \\, mentioned 172, 2/6, 280; 
sketch of, 437. 

Administrations, of Presidents Gates and 
Bishop, 93fif; of General Hill, iiiff ; of 
Colonel Edgar, 1291?; of President 
Murfce, 139; of Dr. P.uchanan, 149; 
of Dr. flartzog, 159; of President Till- 
man, 169. 

Admission requirements, 307. 

AiTdiation with High Schools, 114. 

Agrarian movement, 121, I35ff. 

Agriculture, College of, 2(17, 2/T,, 27s, 216; 
courses in, 99ff. 

Agricultural Education, movement for, 
35; land grant act of 1862, 35ff, 53, 54, 
73, 98, 114, I35f, 154, 267f. 

Alumni Association, 115. 

Appropriations, 48, 80, 104, 113, 135, 13C), 
145, 154, lOi, 175. 

Arkansas, people of, iif; early schools 
in, I2ff; laws concerning education, 
I4ff; land grants in, 2 iff; academies 
and colleges in, ujf; administration of 
seminary grant, 2;^^ ; accepts grant of 
1862, 43ff. 

Arkansas College, 19, 20. 

Armstead, C. F., mentioned 172, 255: 
sketch of, 438. 

Athletics, 117, 343- 

Attendance, 107. 121 f, 127, 135. 148. 

Avera, W. Iv, 140. 



Banaws, A. C, 151, 227. 

Barber, D. E., 140, 176. 

Batesville, 58ff. 

l-Jaxter, I-^lisha, mentioned 103, 107; 

sketch of, 351. 
Bearden, J. T., mentioned 119; sketch 

of, 370. 
Beneficiaries, 73, 103, 116, 155. 
P)ennet, John E., mentioned 57, 61, 62, 

70, 299 ; sketch of, 369. 
P>ennet, R. L., mentioned 175, 277; sketch 

"f, 439- 
Bently, VV. 1!., mentioned 238, 252 ; sketch 

of, 440. 
Berry, J, I !., mentioned 85 ; sketch of, 352. 
Bezdek, Hugo; sketch of, 440. 
Biology, department of, 241 ; laboratory, 

3-2-2- 

P>ishop, A. W., mentioned 57, 59, 78, 79, 
81, 94, 96, 108, 245-246; sketch of, 423. 

Black, B. C, sketch of, 27^- 

Board of Trustees, 47, 57ff, 119, 107, 77, 
79ff, 84ff, 107, T96, io2f, 118, 119, 124, 
130, 140. 

Bonds, Fayetteville and Washington 
County, 6off; i)urchase of, 81 f; litiga- 
tion over, S4fif ; redeemed, 88ff. 

Borden, B. J., mentioned 245 ; sketch 
of, 441. 

Bordon, E. J., mentioned 96. 

Botefiihr. W. D. C, 57ff, 94; sketch of, 

44-2. 
Branch Normal, 51, 299. 
Breckinridge, G. T., sketch of, ,^73. 
Brough. C. H.. mentioned 150, 163, 234, 

333; sketch of, 443. 
Brown, J. W.. sketch of, 372. 
Bruce, W. M., mentioned 173, 281 ; sketch 

of, 444. 



550 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Buchanan, President, veto of Morrill 

Act, 36. 
Buchanan, J. L., mentioned 149, 234, 245, 

274; sketch of, 431. 
Buchanan Hall, 146. 
Buildings, 71, 102, 161, 179. 
Bunn, H. G., sketch of, 374. 
Burnell, H. L., mentioned 94, 255. 

Cane Hill College 19, 20, 64, 66, 84, 195. 
Carhell, D. C, sketch of, 445- 
Carmichael, J. H., sketch of, 445. 
Carnall, Ella, mentioned 215. 
Carnall Hall, 161. 
Carr, J. W.,' mentioned 159, 215, 333; 

sketch of, 448. 
Carroll, C. G., mentioned 172, 255; sketch 

of, 446. 
Carter, R. D., mentioned 172, 255; sketch 

of, 449- 

Chandler, Elias, mentioned 151, 255; 
sketch of, 450. 

Chemistry, department of. 237 ; labora- 
tory, 318. 

Christian Associations, 342. 

Churchill, T. J., mentioned 301 ; sketch 

of, 353. 
Clarke, James P., sketch of, 3s4. 
Clayton, Powell, mentioned 78. 
Clayton, John M. mentioned 57, 58, 62, 

70, 82, 88, 299; sketch of, 376. 
Clubs, 329. 

Cabell, D. R. C, mentioned 300, 301. 
Coffin, Charles, 119; sketch of, 377. 
Cohn, M. A., mentioned 57, 58, 62, 70, 

72; sketch of, 379. 
Cole, G. A., mentioned 160, 276, 277, 281, 

283; sketch of, 451. 
Colleges, 19! 
Collingwood, C. B., 238. 
Color line, 96. 
Committees, on grounds and buildings, 

7off ; executive, 7ofif. 
Conway, Gov. J. S., mentioned 14, 16, 

24, 25. 



Conrad, C. P., mentioned 112, 115, 123, 
199, 237, 239, 241, 251, 318; sketch 

of, 452. 
Cook, G. B., sketch of, 354. 
Cook, V. Y., sketch of, 380. 
Corben, J. C, mentioned 300, 301 ; sketch 

of, 356. 
Course of Study, 4off, 54, 971?, Ii4f. 
Crawford, W. A., 196. 
Crump, Geo. J., mentioned 119; sketch 

of, 382. 
Curtis, E. S., mentioned 95, 116, 255; 

sketch of, 454. 

Davies, Hadgie, mentioned 215; sketch 
of, 454- 

Davis, Jefferson, sketch of, 357. 

Davis, Marcellus L., sketch of, 383. 

Debates, Intercollegiate, 328f. 

Degrees, 97, 102, I33ff, ii4f, 134, I47f, 257, 
271 ; for graduate work, 134. 

Demmler, K., 96, iii, 113, 221, 252, 

Demosthenean Society, 32/. 

Departments of Instruction, mentioned 
99, 112, 124, 129, 144, 153, 177; agri- 
cultural chemistry, 99 ; agricultural 
education, 277; agronomy, 281; ancient 
languages, 211 ; animal husbandry, 280; 
biology, 241 (Lab. 322) ; chemistry, 
237 (Lab. 318) ; civil engineering, 264 
(Lab. 320) ; dairying, 281 ; economics 
and sociology, 234 ; electrical engineer- 
ing, 264 (Lab. 321); English, 215; 
entomology, 280; farmers' institutes, 
282; geolog}^ and mining, 243; German, 
222; history and political science, 225; 
horticulture, 278 ; law, 296 ; mathematics 
and astronomy, 223; mechanical, en- 
gineering, 262 (Lab. 319) ; military 
science and tactics, 233, 254; modern 
languages, 220; philosophy and ped- 
agogy, loi, 24s; physics, 251; plant 
patholog}', 252 ; romance languages, 
252; veterinary science, 279. 



INDEX. 



551 



Dinsmore, A. W., mentioned 86, 103, 107, 

118; sketch of, 385. 
Dinwiddle, R. R., 173, 275, 2'/gi, 285. 
Discipline, 124, 163, 182. 
Donaghey, (".. \V., sketch of, 358. 
Dormitories, 118, 348. 
Doj-ne, J. J., sketch of, 360. 
Dowdy, J. J., sketch of, 255, 360, 458. 
Droke, G. W., mentioned 112, 199, 223; 

sketch of, 455. 
Dunn B. J., mentioned 151. 196, 22^,; 

sketch of, 457. 

Kagle, J. P., mentioned 119; sketch of. 

Economics, dejiartment of, 234. 

Edgar, Col. Geo. Ah, mentioned I29ff; 
sketch of, 427. 

Edmiston, H. H., mentioned iii, 221, 248; 
sketch of, 458. 

Education, sketch of, lift'; higher, ]9ff, 
21 ff; agricultural, },T,'ii. 

Edward Howard, mentioned 132, 215. 
226; sketch of, 438. 

Elective System, 1O2. 

Endowment, administration of, 77^', 
investment in Fayetteville and Wash- 
ington County honds, 8off, 88; present 
status of, 88, 161, 296. 

Engineering, College of, 257. 

Engineering, civil, department of, 264; 
electric, 264; mechanical, 262. 

English, department of, 215. 

Entomology, department of, 280. 

Entrance requirements, 97, loi, 163, 178, 
185. 307. 

Experiment Station, 283. 

Expression, 211. 

Faculty, 93-6, 11 iff, Ti9fif, 143; great 

hreach in, I23ff, i3oft^. 
h'ayetteville, mentioned 58fi^, 62f; honds 

of, 8iff, 86ff ; influence of on university, 

Il8f. 



Federal Government h: relation to educa- 
tion ; Elementary, I3f, 21; Seminary 
grant, 21 ff; College land grant of 1862, 
33f; bill for before Congress, 35f; 
vetoed, 36f ; passed, 38 ; analysis of, 38ff. 

Fertig, J. W., mentioned 151, 227. 

Finances, 80, 104, ii2f, 135, 145, 154, 
161, 175. 

Fishback, W. M., mentioned 140; sketch 
of, 362. 

Fisher, Isaac, mentioned 307, 310; sketch 
of, 461. 

Fraternities, i63f, i8of; Kappa Alpha, 
336; Kappa Sigma, 335; Pi Kappa 
Alpha, 2)37 \ Sigma Alpha Epsilon, 336; 
Sigma Chi, 337; Sigma Nu, 339; Sigma 
Phi Epsilon, t,^,". 

Futrall, J. C, mentioned 151, 213, 335; 
sketch of, 461. 

Futrall, T. A., mentioned 227; sketch 
of. 387. 

Garland, A. H., mentioned 108, 116, 300; 

sketch of, 363. 
Garland Society, 326. 
Gates, N. P., mentioned 88, 96, 97, 109, 

io8f, III, 120, 94, 231, 245, 301; sketch 

of, 421 ; administration of, 93ff, 96. 
Gladson, W. N., mentioned 151, 252, 265; 

sketch of, 462. 
Goodwin, W. S., mentioned 336; sketch 

of. 388. 
Gordon, J. R., mentioned iii, 221, 262; 

sketch of, 463. 
Gorton, Mary R., mentioned 93,.94f, 113; 

sketch of, 464. 
Government, 105, 119. 
Graduate work, 203f. 
Grady Society, 327. 
Gray Hall, toi. 
Gray, O. C, mentioned 20, 93, in, 113, 

116, 143, 22^. 248, 255, 262; sketch 

of, 466. 
Greever, G. G., mentioned 216; sketch 

of, 467. 



552 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Gregg, Lafayette, mentioned 53, 58, 64. 

65, 67, 86, 103 ; sketch of, 389. 
Gnnter. T. M.. mentioned 65, 67, 119, 

233 ; sketch of. 390. 

Hanihy, C. C, mentioned 87 ; sketch of. 

391- 
Harchingay, R. E., mentioned 262. 

Harris. Sarah E. mentioned iii, i u, 215. 
JJO. 

Hartzog H. S., mentioned 159; adminis- 
tration of, 159; sketch of. 433. 
Harvey, E. L.. mentioned 95, loj. iii, 

113, -^37. -'41-0. -51.- 3i;t 3-'i. 334: 
sketch of, 468. 

Hatch bill, 283f. 

Herbert. R. O.. sketch of, 393. 

Hewitt. J. L.. mentioned 172, 279; sketch 

of, 470. 
Hill, Gen. D. H.. mentioned 108, 109, 

113, 116. 119. iJott, III. 231. 245; sketch 

of, 424; administration of, iiitT: nnder 

tire, I22ff; retirement, 126. 
Historj', department of, 223. 
Holcombe, ^liss Jobelle. mentioned 216: 

sketch of. 471. 

Honor System. 335. 

Hooper, V. A., mentioned 281: sketch 

of, 47^- 
Hornor, J. Lyford, mentioned 255, 151. 
Houghton, C. E., mentioned 151, 159, 263; 

sketcli of. 473. 
Howe, E. G.. mentioned y2, 255. 
Howell. J. E.. mentioned 132. 195. 22~. 

231, 245; sketch of, 474. 
Hughes. Simon P.. sketcli of. 365. 

Johnson. J. ^1.. mentioned 107; sketch 

of, 396. 
Johnson. ^^^ S., mentioned 159, 246, 250; 

sketch of 475. 
Johnston. Joseph E. 108. 



Jones, D. E., mentioned, 107 ; sketch of, 

394. 
Jones, Daniel W., sketch of, 366. 
Jones, Gustave, sketch of, 397. 
Jones, J. \V.. sketch of, 399. 
Jordan, Junius, mentioned 151, 246, 256, 



Kerr, C. Y., mentioned 143, 263 ; sketch 

of 477- 
Kesee. J. \\'., mentioned 140 ; sketch 

of. 400. 
Knott, \^ P.. mentioned 264; sketch 

of, 479. 
Kuykendall, J. \V., mentioned 151, 192, 

327; sketch of, 480. 

Laboratories, 3i8f. 
Lake, 'SI. F., loi, 103. 
Land Grants : 

Seminary, 2it¥; to Arkansas, 22ff; 

administration of, 23!!; in other states, 

2S; act of 1862, 33fi'; analysis of, 38ff ; 

Arkansas accepts, 243ff. 
Lane. A. V.. 112, 262; sketch of, 481. 
Langford. \\'. H.. mentioned 22y ; sketch 

of, 401. 
Law, department of, 296. 
Lee Society, 327. 
Lenton, ^\'.. mentioned 172, 279; sketch 

of. 482. 
Lentz, ^Lix, 172, 222: sketch of, 484. 
Leverett. C. H.. mentioned 93-4, iii, 112, 

132. 211. 221. 226: sketch of. 486. 
Lewis. A. E., mentioned 227; sketch 

of. 4S7. 
Library, 313. 
Literary Societies, origin. loi, 118; 

history of, 325. 
Little, J. S., sketch of. 366. 
Location of L^niversity : 

Act of legislature on, 49f, 57f : report 

of committee on, 59ft"; Washington 

County selected, 6if; lack of interest 

in, 64tf ; Pukiski County seeks. 67f. 



INDEX. 



553 



Mariiioni, Aiitoiiif), nicntioiii'l 172, 216, 

222; sketch of, 4^. 
Martin, Joseph W., mciitioiicd ti(j; 

sketch of, 402. 
Mathcsian Society, 325. 
Mcllroy, Wm., mentioncfl 64, 70; sketch 

of, 403. 
McLean, S. J., mciitioncl iS', 227, 2.34; 

sketch of, 490. 
McNeil, J. F., mentioned 143, 241, 278. 
Medicine, School of, 295. 
Meek, S. E., mentioned 243. 
Menkee, L. E., mentioned 143, 151, 238, 

252, 27rf, 277, 28^;, 285; skf-tch of, 48, 

301. 
Miller, 11. A., mentioned 57, 62, 59, 69, 

234- 
Miller, W. R.. mentioned uxj, 1 f6, 118, 

f 19; sketrh of, 367. 
Mitchell, J. C, mentioned 254, 273, 296f; 

sketch of, 404. 
Mitchell. James, mentioned 20, 66, 95, 

140 ; sketch of, 494. 
Montgomery, W. A., mentioned 213. 
Morrill. J. S., mentioned 35, 37. 4^ 104. 
Morrow, H. E.. mentioned 2.38; sketch 

of, 497- 
Muckenfuss, A. M., mentioned 154, 172, 

238; sketch of, 498. 
Murphy, Gov. Isaac, mentioned I7f, 43f. 
Murfee, E. P., mentioned 132, 139, 223, 

231, 2.34, 245, 348; sketch of, 429. 
Museum, 317. 
Music, department of, 208. 

Nelson, Martin, mentioned 173, 281; 

sketch of, 499. 
Nelson, R. J., mentioned 172, 277; sketch 

of, 500. 
Newman, C. L., mentioned 275, 277; 

sketch of, 501. 
Norgord, C. P., mentioned 172, 281 ; 

sketch of, 503. 



Nortoif, J. II., mentioned lO), 2H'). 

Normal, cour.ses in, 205. 

Normal, I'ranch at I'ine I'lnff, 51, 299. 

OIney, L. S., mentioned 265; sketch of, 
504. 

Pace, Alice, 295. 

Parsons, L., 159, 255. 

Peale, Geo. M., mentioned 152. 

Pearce, N. B., mentioned 95. 96, 223, 

263 ; sketch of, 506, 
Pedagogy, department of, 227, 
Peek, G. M., mentioned 263, 
Peel, Sam. W., mentioned 85. 
Periclean .Society, 327. 
I'harr. H. N., sketch of, 41/). 
Physical Culture, 210. 
Pickel, }'. W., mentioned 151. 241 ; sketch 

of, 508. 
Pittman, J. M., 85. 
Pittman, S, P., sketch of, #j7. 
Political Science, department of, 225 
Powers, R. B., mentioned 255. 
Prather, A. S., mentioned 57, 62, 70; 

sketch of, 407. 
Preparatory Department, 53, J 34. '78, 192. 
Prizes, 273, 333. 
Publications, 331. 
Purdue, A. H., mentioned isi, 243, 317; 

sketch of, 509, 
Purinton, Geo. D., mentioned 1.32, 136, 

238, 241, 272, 274; sketch of, 512. 

Ramsey, W. A., mentioned 72, 192; sketch 

of, 513- 
Randolph, J. H., mentioned 159, 223. 

Read, W. A., mentioned 151, 215. 
Reagon Hugh, mentioned 233. 
Reynolds, J. H., mentioned 159, 227, 233^ 
342; sketch of 515. 



554 



HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



Rheinhardt, J.^ mentioned 222. 

Ripley, G. E., mentioned 172, 252; sketch 

of, 517- 

Rose, , 253. 

Ross, W. A., mentioned 151, 255. 
Ro3'Ston, G. D., mentioned 118, 237, 301 ; 

sketch of, 410. 
Russell, O. F., mentioned 96, iii, 118. 
Rutherford, J. F., sketch of, 411. 

Salaries, 104, 109, 144, 155, 161, 179. 
Sapphic Society, 325, 328. 
Sarber, John N., mentioned 57, 62, 169. 
Schafifer, H., mentioned 172, 252, 265. 

Schools, early in Arkansas, iiff; acad- 
emies and colleges, 19 ; private, 12 ; 
public, I3fif; laws concerning, 13, I4ff; 
statistics concerning, i6f; after the 
war. I7ff. 

Schoff, G. C., mentioned 264. 

Schmolck, Paul, mentioned 160. 

Searle. E. J., mentioned 57, 100, 62, 70, 

100, 102 ; sketch of, 414. 
Searles, Colbert, mentioned 215. 
Seawell, T. M., sketch of, 416. 
Seminary Fund, 21 ; history of, 29f. See 

land grant. 

Short, A. K., mentioned 173, 280; sketch 
of, 520. 

Simon ds, F. W., mentioned 141, 241, 285, 
332; sketch of, 521. 

Smith, Thomas, mentioned 57 ; sketch 

of, 368. 
Steel, A. A., mentioned 160, 172, 243 ; 

sketch of, 525. 
Sororities : 

Chi Omega. 3J.0 ; Pi Beta Phi, 341; 

Zeta Tau Alpha, 341. 
South, J. C, sketch of, 416. 
Standards, 115. 



Stinson, J. T., mentioned 175, 279; sketch 

of, 527- 
St. John's College, 19, 95. 
Stone, W. P., 151, 255. 
Stroup, Henr}'-, sketch of, 418. 

Taff case, 124. 

Taylor, C. M., 140. 

Teller, G. L., mentioned 238, 275. 

Thomas, D. Y., mentioned 228; sketch 

of, 529. 
Thompson, T. L., mentioned 94, 102, 237, 

271, 318. 
Thompson, W. E., mentioned 107, 118, 

301. 
Thurston, Dr. Richard, 94. 
Tillman, John N., mentioned 163, i7of, 

199 ; sketch of, 435. 
Tourgee, C. H., 172. 
Tovey, H. D., mentioned 172, 208, .347; 

sketch of, 531. 
Tradwell, J. D., 262. 
Tuition, 74, 155, 161, 175, 303. 
Twombly, S. S., mentioned 143, 238, 285. 
Tyler, Mrs. A. M., 196. 

University : 

Attendance, 107, 121 ; land grant of 
1862, 33ff; before the courts, 84ff; 
endowment, 77-91 ; cosmopolitan insti- 
tution planned, 53 ; finances, 72 ; first 
years of, loiff; Hall, 102, iii; govern- 
ment, losff; location, 49, 5 iff, 62; 
organic act, 44, 64 ; organization, 69ff ; 
seminary grant, 2iff ; search for a presi- 
dent, io7ff; and the state, 114; sec- 
ondary schools, 117; reorganized, I3if. 

Vincenheller, W. G., mentioned 160, 276. 

Wade, R. N., mentioned 172, 280. 
Walker, Ernest, mentioned 151, 279; 

sketch of, 533. 
Walker, David, 65, 67. 



INDEX. 



555 



Walker, J. D., 65, 67. 

Walker, P. H., 238. 

Wallace, J C, mentioned 107 ; sketch 

of, 419. 
Wannamaker, O. D., mentioned 172, 216; 

sketch of, 535- 
Welch, H. M., 112. 
Welch, A. S., 95, 108. 
Welch, W. B., 140, 248. 
Whitham, J. W., 132. 



Willis, R. H., mentioned 133, 143, 211, 

215, 226; sketch of, 537. 
Wilson, B. N., mentioned 159,263; sketch 

of, 539- 

Yates, Hazel A., 160, 208. 
Yates, W. N., sketch of, 420. 
Yell, Gov. A., IS, 26, 34. 
Young, P. H., 57, 62, 69, 70. 
Y. M. C. A., 117. 



HISTORY OF THE 
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. 



-^ 






Copyright, 1910, By 
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